What do cooking and cybersecurity have to do with each other? Plenty if you’re running a YouTube cooking channel. It’s not just extremely popular channels that need to worry about hackers. No matter what kind of content you produce and no matter how well-known you are, cybersecurity should be a top priority.
If you’re running a cooking channel on YouTube, or if you’re just getting your channel off the ground, here are 5 cybersecurity tips to keep in mind.
1. Keep multiple offline backups
You never know when a ransomware threat will hit, and if you don’t have offline backups, you might lose all your files. How does this work? Box explains that ransomware encrypts your files, and the hacker demands a ransom to decrypt/restore your files, usually in Bitcoin. However, not all hackers honor the terms of the ransom. Sometimes files are deleted (or left encrypted), whether the ransom is paid or not.
Offline storage makes sense for your videos
When producing your videos, you’re going to have plenty of raw footage, still images, a b-roll, and finished productions. All of these files will take up a large amount of space on your computer’s hard drive, so it makes sense to keep these files on an external hard drive.
However, it’s critical to keep multiple backups that stay offline. When your backups are always connected to the internet, they’re accessible to hackers, which puts those files at risk for a ransomware attack.
At a minimum, keep two offline backups of your files on different devices and only connect them to the internet when saving your files.
2. Use cloud storage
In addition to having offline storage for your files, it’s helpful to keep copies of your files in a cloud-based file storage account. This way, if your device gets hacked or stolen, you’ll still have access to your files in a completely separate account.
With a secure provider, you won’t have to worry about unauthorized parties gaining access to your files. For example, Box provides tight security and even makes it possible to set security permissions for individual files and folders.
Depending on which cloud storage provider you choose, you may be able to schedule automatic backups that run on a regular schedule (as long as your device is connected to the internet).
3. Don’t share your login credentials
If you’re working with other people on your YouTube channel, you might need to share your login credentials to allow others to do some of the work. This seems like it might be okay, but it can be risky, especially if you’re working with people you’ve never met in person. Internet friendships can be extremely volatile, and sometimes people sabotage projects without any indication.
Avoid sharing your login credentials for any of your accounts with other people, no matter how much you think you can trust them. If you need to share files, get a secure file storage account that allows sharing. If you need someone to upload video files for you, try to find another solution. Delegate other tasks to them instead, and if you don’t have fast internet at home, then use public Wi-Fi.
4. Don’t share your real name
This should go without saying, but sharing your real name on the internet can put you at risk. For instance, someone might take your name and find your address and then look through your mail or trash for your Social Security number or bank account information. If it sounds far-fetched, it’s not, and it’s actually quite common.
If you’re trying to brand yourself with your real name, you’ll need to be really careful about what other information you share publicly. For instance, never share your address or your kids’ names. Also, avoid sharing how much money you make from your YouTube channel or other sources.
5. Don’t give your personal information to advertisers
Once your channel gains some traction, you’ll inevitably draw attention from advertisers who will ask you to promote their product or service. There’s nothing wrong with promoting someone else’s business if you feel it’s a match, but don’t give them any personal information. You’ll probably need to give them your name and address to receive a physical product, but don’t give out information they don’t absolutely need.
When you’re approached by an advertiser, they could be genuine, but they could also be a hacker looking for information to fill in the gaps so they can commit identity theft. You can’t be too careful.
Keep your cooking channel online with these security tips
Maintaining cybersecurity is the best way to prevent unexpected downtime and data loss to hackers. Hopefully, these tips will help you get secure and keep your cooking channel online.