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|  | | Stuff.co.nz - 18 Mar (Stuff.co.nz) Opinion: People often say that owning a business is the biggest self development journey you’ll ever go on, and that has been very much true for me. Read...Newslink ©2025 to Stuff.co.nz |  |
|  | | PC World - 18 Mar (PC World)Laptops with ample storage can be pricey, especially because they don’t go on sale as often as smaller options do. I’ve seen it so many times — a base model laptop goes on sale for hundreds of dollars off, but the model with more storage remains full price.
That’s why I’m telling you to buy the less-expensive laptop model and upgrade the storage yourself.
Of course, it’s easier said than done. You have to make sure the laptop is easily upgradable, which isn’t always a given. Gaming laptops and business laptops are fairly easy to open, with plenty of helpful YouTube videos that’ll walk you through any given model. But ultra-thin, ultra-portable laptops often sacrifice upgradability to do what they do.
Still, if you don’t mind shopping around, this is a great way to acquire a laptop with lots of storage at a cheaper price. I’ve personally done it with multiple laptops and I’ve saved hundreds each time. Here’s what you need to know to start doing this yourself.
Upgrading the storage on your laptop could be easier than you think
If your laptop has upgradable storage, the actual upgrade process will likely be easy — so easy that it may even surprise you. But it’s also possible that the manufacturer made the laptop nearly impossible to open, in which case upgrading will also be near impossible.
For laptops that aren’t designed with ease of service in mind, it might not be worth the effort. Even if you could get it open, the storage slots might be hidden under other components, requiring that you disassemble things further to even get at it. If the storage is soldered to the motherboard, you can’t realistically replace it at all. (In that case, there are other ways to add laptop storage.)
Checking your laptop’s upgradability
To determine how easy it is to upgrade your laptop’s storage, I recommend performing a web search for the name of your laptop plus “upgrade SSD” or “replace SSD.” You should find YouTube videos that give you a sense of what it takes to open it up and get inside. You could also look up your laptop’s official service manual, too.
What’s involved when replacing the storage on your laptop?
If your laptop supports storage upgrades, then all you have to do is buy an NVMe SSD that fits your laptop. Most laptops fit standard M.2 2280 (80mm long) SSDs, but more compact models may need a smaller M.2 2230 (30mm long) or M.2 2242 (42mm long) drive.
Be sure to get the right form factor for your laptop — you can find those details on the web or in your laptop’s service manual.
Framework Laptops are known for their upgradability via modular design. This Framework Laptop 13 is one of our favorites for unmatched repairability.Chris Hoffman / Foundry
Also, don’t just buy any old SSD. If you cheap out on a low-end SSD, you’ll get low-end speeds. Many modern laptops now support PCIe Gen4 SSDs, which are faster than older PCIe Gen3 SSDs, so be sure to get a drive that takes advantage of it if your laptop supports it. (Check out PCWorld’s recommended PCIe Gen4 SSDs.)
Once you have the SSD, you’ll need to open your laptop. Depending on the laptop, it may just take a few screws… but there’s also a chance you’ll need a “spudger” to pry apart the laptop’s base from the plastic tabs that hold the laptop frame together.
With many modern laptops, upgrading the SSD truly is as simple as plugging in and out of a slot. The only question is, how easily accessible is the storage slot in your laptop?Chris Hoffman / Foundry
Once you’re in, you just have to access the storage. On many laptops, that means unfastening a screw, pulling the existing SSD out, sliding your new SSD into the slot, and re-fastening the screw. (On some gaming laptops, business laptops, and otherwise modular laptops, you may even spot an empty second SSD slot. If you do, you can just add your SSD without removing the current one and use both at the same time!)
Lastly, with the new SSD in your laptop, make sure you take care of it. Avoid these mistakes that kill SSDs early!
Is buying cheaper and upgrading the storage really worth the effort?
Upgrading a laptop’s storage on your own is usually worth it, especially if you can find those lower-end models with less storage on sale. Many laptops have base models that are surprisingly inexpensive to snag budget-conscious shoppers, with notable price bumps for higher-end models that come pre-packaged with more storage and RAM.
This strategy works best when you can scoop up a base model laptop at a bargain. I mean, if it costs $100 to jump up from the 512GB model to the 1TB model and it costs $90 to buy a comparable SSD, then it isn’t worth the time to save a measly $10. But if the 512GB model is on sale for $400 off while the 1TB model sits at full price, then you’re suddenly looking at a $500 difference — a huge opportunity to save some cash.
Manufacturers often bundle laptop storage upgrades with more RAM and other niceties. That’s great, but it means you’re overpaying if you only want the extra storage capacity but don’t need the extra RAM.
You’ll have to run the numbers yourself. What’s the price of the laptop you’re looking at, how much more for the higher-end model with extra storage, and how much would an SSD upgrade cost?
Some gotchas to look out for
Aside from the unfortunate reality that not every laptop is realistically upgradable, there’s one other big gotcha to watch out for — if you end up replacing the SSD in whatever laptop you get, that SSD is going to be empty (i.e., you’ll need to install an operating system on it).
If you want to keep using the laptop as it was before, you’ll have to image the drive before you swap it out. That means creating a backup copy of the drive and all its files, then copying it all to the new SSD. Otherwise, you can swap the new-but-empty SSD into your laptop, then use something like a USB flash drive to install Windows or Linux.
Be careful when opening up your laptop and fiddling around with the components. Any accidental damage is your responsibility.Gordon Mah Ung / Foundry
It’s a little easier if you end up buying a laptop with multiple SSD slots. In that case, you can leave the main SSD (which has the operating system already installed on it) and simply install your new SSD into the other available SSD slot. This is the most ideal option.
One more thing to keep in mind: your laptop’s warranty. Your laptop manufacturer may void the warranty if you open up your laptop for any reason. This clause is more common on thin-and-light ultrabooks that aren’t designed to be opened, less common on gaming and business laptops that are meant to be upgraded and/or serviced. That said, if you break something while opening the laptop, that’s still on you.
Don’t “buy cheap and upgrade” if…
Buying a less expensive laptop and upgrading the storage yourself is often worth it, but here’s when you shouldn’t do it:
If the laptop isn’t easily serviceable, then it’s just not possible.
If the cost of bumping up storage capacity at the time of purchase is reasonable, then you may not save any money.
If you aren’t prepared to image the existing drive or reinstall Windows from scratch, then you may not want to do it.
If you don’t want to waste time upgrading the drive on your own, then it may be worth paying the premium at checkout.
In all other cases, if you’re comfortable opening up a laptop and if you’re willing to spend a few minutes doing the replacement yourself, then you can often save hundreds of dollars by buying the cheaper laptop model on sale and swapping out for (or plugging in) your own SSD.
I highly encourage you to give it a try — assuming the stars line up to make it feasible and worth the effort!
Further reading: Portable SSDs are great for more than just backups Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | PC World - 18 Mar (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
Pros
Thin, light, and luxurious design
Haptic touchpad and enjoyable keyboard
Excellent 14-inch OLED with refresh rate up to 120Hz
Future-looking connectivity including Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7
Cons
Missing TrackPoint will divide ThinkPad fans
Not the best performance for your dollar
Modest battery life
Our Verdict
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 is a sleeker, more luxurious ThinkPad. However, its performance and battery life are mid-pack.
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The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition had PC World’s editors scratching their heads upon its reveal at CES 2025. It’s a ThinkPad, but it ditches many of the features that are typical of the ThinkPad brand. There’s no iconic red TrackPoint, no physical buttons on the touchpad, and the overall look and feel is more typical of Lenovo’s recent Yoga Pro laptops.
These changes will make the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition controversial among long-time ThinkPad fans but also make it more approachable for the average laptop shopper.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Specs and features
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition is built with a focus on portability over performance. I received a laptop with an eight-core Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid state drive.
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 226V
Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x-8533
Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc Graphics 130V
NPU: Intel AI Boost peak 40 TOPs
Display: 14-inch 2880×1800 120Hz OLED with VRR and HDR
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
Webcam: 1440p 30fps camera with IR 3D camera for Windows Hello, electronic privacy shutter
Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C (40Gbps data, DisplayPort, Power Delivery), 1x HDMI 2.1 (up to 4K 60Hz), 1x 3.5mm combo headphone/microphone jack
Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition, fingerprint reader
Battery capacity: 55 watt-hours
Dimensions: 12.28 x 8.35 x 0.51 inches
Weight: 2.74 pounds
Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Price: $1,519 retail from Lenovo
The ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition is all in on future-proof connectivity. It has two Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. However, it lacks USB-A ports and doesn’t have a physical Ethernet port. It does have a 3.5mm audio port, though.
Lenovo lists the model I reviewed at $1,519. The entry-level model downgrades to 256GB of storage and a 1200p OLED display, which lowers the price to $1,239. Upgrades, meanwhile, include up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage. Checking all the boxes boosts the price up to $2,349.
The ThinkPad X9 14 also puts an emphasis on portability. It measures just .51 inches thick (excluding the rubber feet on the bottom of the laptop) and weighs a mere 2.74 pounds. Neither number is unusual in 2025, as many 14-inch competitors are similar in size and weight, but it still makes for a remarkably light laptop that’s easy to pick up, pack, and carry.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Design and build quality
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition might be a ThinkPad, but it looks far more like Lenovo’s recent Yoga Pro and Slim Pro laptops. The chassis is built from a grayish-blue aluminum that feels solid and premium in-hand. It also has rounded corners, beveled edges, and a wavy texture across the bottom panel that makes the laptop easier to hold.
All of this is heresy for ThinkPad super-fans, who often prefer the boxier, all-black designs of yore. But… I like it. A lot.
This didn’t surprise me. PC World has favorably reviewed Lenovo’s premium consumer laptops such as the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i, which we gave an Editor’s Choice award. Indeed, the Yoga Pro 9i is so good it often left me wondering why anyone would want to buy a ThinkPad instead. The Yoga Pro 9i is typically more attractive, slimmer, and provides a much larger touchpad. It’s less expensive than a competitively equipped ThinkPad as well.
It seems Lenovo noticed this, too, because the ThinkPad X9 14 feels like a Yoga Pro with the ThinkPad name on it. And, as a result, the ThinkPad X9 14 provides something ThinkPads often fail to deliver: a sense of luxury.
The ThinkPad X9 14 also puts an emphasis on portability. It measures just .51 inches thick (excluding the rubber feet on the bottom of the laptop) and weighs a mere 2.74 pounds. Neither number is unusual in 2025, as many 14-inch competitors are similar in size and weight, but it still makes for a remarkably light laptop that’s easy to pick up, pack, and carry.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Keyboard, trackpad
IDG / Matthew Smith
While the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition makes many changes to the ThinkPad formula, the removal of the classic TrackPoint—a red nub found in the middle of most ThinkPad keyboards—is probably the most jarring change.
I’m a fan of the TrackPoint, as well, and I won’t sugarcoat it. If you want a TrackPoint, well, this ain’t it, chief. There’s nothing about the ThinkPad X9 14 that will convince TrackPoint loyalists to make the switch to a touchpad.
However, as with the laptop’s design, I think offering a ThinkPad without the TrackPoint is a sensible move. I’ve owned a series of ThinkPads over the years and once greatly preferred the TrackPoint. Today, things are different. The responsiveness and size of modern touchpads have improved, and multi-touch gestures are more useful than they once were.
Speaking of which, the ThinkPad X9 14’s touchpad is solid. It measures about 5 inches wide and about 3 inches deep. That’s a good size for a 14-inch laptop and provides space for using Windows’ multi-touch gestures, but it’s not any larger than most competitors.
The touchpad uses haptic feedback to simulate the feel of a physical click when a left or right-click action is executed, and it works great. So much so that I prefer haptic feedback to a real, physical touch action on modern laptops.
What about the keyboard? It’s great. The keyboard provides good key travel and has a spacious layout. Most keys are close to full size and those that are shrunk, like the Backspace and Tab keys, are still large enough that I didn’t have to adjust my muscle memory. A keyboard backlight comes standard and is effective at making the keys readable in dim settings.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Display, audio
IDG / Matthew Smith
The entry-level Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition is sold with a 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED non-touch screen, but the model I tested (and most configurations sold online) had a 14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touchscreen. The upgraded display also boosts the refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz.
It’s a beautiful display. 2880×1800 resolution on a 14-inch panel works out to about 243 pixels per inch, which is excellent for a laptop display and provides a razor-sharp look. Color performance and contrast are excellent, too, and combine to deliver a deep, immersive image. While a handful of laptops, like the Dell XPS 14, offer an even sharper 3200×2000 OLED panel, the ThinkPad X9 14’s display is otherwise as good as it gets.
As mentioned, the 2880×1800 panel has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. It also supports VRR and can handle variable refresh rates between 30 and 120Hz. That makes it possible to use Windows’ dynamic refresh rate feature, which can lower the refresh rate to improve battery life (though this was off by default on the machine I tested).
The ThinkPad X9 14’s speakers are decent but not a highlight. They deliver good volume with some low-end in bass heavy content. However, the speakers can become boomy and harsh as the volume is increased past 50 percent of maximum.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
Every Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition has a 1440p webcam (note: Lenovo advertises it as 1080p, but it can in fact record up to 1440p at 30 frames per second). The webcam delivers a sharp, crisp image and deals well with mixed lighting. The microphone array is also crisp and does a great job of reducing background noise. Most competitive laptops also do well here, but the ThinkPad X9 14 is a solid choice if you spend a lot of time on video calls.
Biometric login is supported through both Windows Hello facial recognition via the webcam and fingerprint recognition via a sensor on the power button, which is located on the keyboard. Both prove easy to use but, as is typical, I found facial recognition quicker and more reliable than the fingerprint sensor.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Connectivity
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition makes many changes to the classic ThinkPad formula, and that includes connectivity. It makes no attempt to provide a wide range of ports and instead focuses on the latest, greatest standards.
A pair of Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports, each with 40Gbps of data, DisplayPort and Power Delivery, provide the bulk of the physical connectivity. Two ports isn’t a lot, but the ports are extremely versatile and work well with a dock if more connectivity is needed.
Also, the Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports are placed on opposite sides of the laptop (one on the left, one on the right), so there’s always a port close at hand no matter where your other devices are located on your desk.
Additional video connectivity comes from the HDMI 2.1 port, which supports 4K at up to 60Hz. The HDMI port is handy for connecting to televisions or projectors. A 3.5mm combo audio jack on the laptop’s right flank rounds out the connectivity.
Wireless connectivity is also forward-looking. The laptop supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, which are the latest version of each respective standard. I expect the laptop’s wireless connectivity will remain relevant for over a decade, as the progress of wireless standards has slowed in recent years.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Performance
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition I reviewed had an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor. This is the least capable chip available in this laptop (four alternative Intel chips are available as upgrades). It has just eight processor cores, only four of which are performance cores, and comes paired with Intel Arc 130V. The laptop I reviewed also had 16GB of RAM and 512GB of PCIe solid state storage.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Our first benchmark, PCMark 10, takes a holistic approach and tests a laptop across multiple simulated real-world workloads, from web conferencing to image editing and much more. The ThinkPad X9 14 falls a bit behind in this test with a score of 6,272. That’s quite a bit less than laptops that have more powerful Intel Core processors or AMD’s Ryzen AI 9.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Intel’s Core Ultra 5 226V becomes a bit of a boat anchor in Cinebench R23, a heavily multi-threaded and short-duration test. The CPU’s limited core count (four performance, four efficient cores, for a total of eight) is a disadvantage in this benchmark.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Handbrake, a longer duration multi-threaded benchmark that encodes a movie from MP4 to MKV, doesn’t change the story. The ThinkPad X19 14 still lags the pack. However, the margin by which it lags is lower here than in Cinebench R23.
IDG / Matthew Smith
What about 3D performance? The ThinkPad X9 14 is again at a disadvantage, as the Intel Core Ultra 5 226 relies on Intel Arc 130V graphics. This version of Intel Arc integrated graphics has just seven Xe cores, down from eight with Intel Arc 140V, and the clock speed is lower as well. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, to see the ThinkPad X9 14 lag behind the pack.
Overall, the ThinkPad X9 14’s performance doesn’t impress. Of course, some concession should be made for the fact Lenovo sent an entry-level configuration and I expect that upgraded models with more capable Intel Chips like the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V would perform better.
Those upgrades aren’t free, however, and this is an area where the ThinkPad X9 14 feels uncompetitive. At any given price, Lenovo offers an alternative model of Yoga Pro that has a better processor, more storage, and more RAM. Asus’ Zenbook 14 and Samsung’s Galaxy Book5 Pro also provide a similar prosumer look-and-feel alongside better performance for the price.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Battery life
You might expect the thin-and-light Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition to provide good battery life but, as is often the case with thin laptops, battery capacity becomes an issue. The ThinkPad X9 14 has a 55-watt-hour battery, while most similar laptops have a 65 to 75-watt-hour battery.
IDG / Matthew Smith
Mediocre battery life is the result. The ThinkPad X9 14 lasted roughly 11 hours and 45 minutes in our standard battery test, which loops a 4K video file of the short film Tears of Steel. That’s not bad but as the graph shows, it’s possible to find better battery life in competitive laptops.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14: Conclusion
The ThinkPad X9 14 provides a great keyboard and touchpad alongside a premium look and feel that’s more like Lenovo’s excellent Yoga Pro laptops. While the changes won’t tempt long-time ThinkPad fans, they make the laptop more competitive with prosumer laptops, which often deliver better design than laptops focused on productivity and business.
Where the ThinkPad X9 14 lags, however, is bang-for-the-buck. Though it’s as attractive as prosumer peers, you’ll still find that your money doesn’t go as far when buying a ThinkPad as it would if you purchased a prosumer laptop.
Even so, the ThinkPad X9 14 is likely to find an audience among business and enterprise buyers who’d prefer a sleeker, more luxurious alternative to a typical 14-inch business thin-and-light. Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
|  | | Sydney Morning Herald - 18 Mar (Sydney Morning Herald)The embattled construction company is a former long-time sponsor and current business associate of the Blues, pouring millions of dollars into the club over the past two decades. Read...Newslink ©2025 to Sydney Morning Herald |  |
|  | | PC World - 17 Mar (PC World)In August 2024, National Public Data (NPD), a background check company, experienced a massive data breach that impacted around 2.9 billion records with sensitive information. Millions of people’s full names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and addresses were all up for grabs on the dark web.
Faced with the overwhelming financial strain from numerous lawsuits and the costs associated with the breach, NPD filed for bankruptcy just a few months later.
This breach, one of the largest in recent history, highlighted the growing risks businesses face in protecting sensitive data. With cybercriminals constantly evolving their tactics, companies can no longer afford to rely on reactive security measures alone.
The bittersweet truth is that a breach like that could have been avoided — or at least minimized — with the right security measures in place. Threat exposure management platforms like NordStellar help with data breach prevention by catching vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Prevent breaches with NordStellar
716 million user contacts leaked on the dark web in 2024
According to research conducted by NordStellar, 716 million user contacts were leaked on the dark web in 2024. This included 554 million email addresses and 162 million phone numbers, leaving a vast number of people vulnerable to cyber threats. Most of the leaked data came from companies in the technology, media, financial services, commerce, and healthcare industries.
Once data is stolen in a breach, it often appears on dark web marketplaces within days or weeks — sometimes selling for pocket change. A credit card might go for just $15, a full identity package with your Social Security number for $20.
But it doesn’t just sit there — it gets put to use fast. Cybercriminals, from small-time scammers to organized crime groups, exploit sensitive personal data in many ways, including identity theft, phishing, financial fraud, and account takeovers. Cybercriminals use stolen data to scam, hack, and exploit victims, often combining breaches for more targeted attacks.
Average data breach costs reached $4.88M in 2024
According to IBM’s 2024 report, the global average cost of a data breach reached an all-time high of about $4.88 million. These costs usually include a range of expenses such as incident investigation, regulatory fines, legal fees, customer notification, credit monitoring services, system recovery, and lost business due to reputational damage.
However, the damaging consequences of a data breach don’t just end here. Beyond the immediate financial hit, businesses face long-term challenges that can be even more devastating.
Reputational damage can erode customer trust, driving people to competitors and amplifying negative publicity. Once trust is broken, it takes years to rebuild, affecting customer retention, brand perception, and even future business opportunities.
Operational disruptions also take a heavy toll. Recovering from a breach requires shutting down systems, investigating the incident, and implementing new security measures — all of which divert resources from growth and innovation.
Then come the legal and compliance issues. Data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA impose strict penalties, with fines reaching 4% of annual revenue or millions of dollars in penalties. High-profile cases like Meta’s €1.2 billion fine and Marriott’s $23.8 million penalty highlight how failing to protect user data can have severe consequences.
NordStellar: Proactive threat exposure management for businesses
Reactive security measures aren’t enough to protect your business from the avalanche of consequences that follow a data breach. IBM highlights that it can take around six months to even become aware that a data breach has happened, preventing companies from acting before it’s too late.
NordStellar, a threat exposure management platform created by the company behind NordVPN, detects threats early, minimizes damage, and ensures businesses can respond before a breach escalates.
NordStellar
Get a NordStellar demo
Data breach monitoring
NordStellar keeps an eye on data breaches, malware infections, and leaked credentials to spot compromised employee or client information. It sends real-time alerts so security teams can act fast and limit damage.
By assessing risk levels and prioritizing incidents, it helps businesses handle breaches more efficiently. With data from both public and private sources, NordStellar makes sure teams stay informed and ready to respond.
Account takeover prevention
For instance, if hackers obtained the login details of a high-level employee like a CFO, they could approve fake wire transfers to drain company accounts. Or they could unlock payroll systems to redirect employee salaries. All of this could happen within hours of gaining access.
The account takeover prevention scans the deep and dark web for leaked credentials and checks them against employee, customer, and partner accounts. It blocks stolen passwords from being used during login, registration, and password changes.
Its password fuzzing feature analyzes breached passwords and generates variations based on common hacking techniques, preventing users from creating similar weak passwords that attackers could easily guess.
Session hijacking prevention
It monitors the dark web 24/7 for stolen session cookies and compromised credentials and alerts users when their data is found and detects malware-infected accounts.
Session cookies are small bits of data that websites use to keep you logged in, like a digital key proving it’s really you. If hackers steal them, they can slip into your account without needing your password, bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA) entirely.
If a session is stolen, NordStellar automatically invalidates it to block attackers from gaining access. This prevents hackers from using stolen cookies to log in, transfer money, or take other unauthorized actions.
Other tips for avoiding data breaches
Besides using a data breach monitoring system like NordStellar, businesses should take additional steps to protect their data and minimize security risks. Here are some key measures to strengthen your defenses:
Use strong access controls. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limit access to sensitive data based on user roles.
Encrypt important data. Protect stored and transmitted data with end-to-end encryption and secure password hashing.
Keep software updated. Install security updates regularly to fix weak spots hackers could exploit.
Train employees on cybersecurity. Teach staff to spot phishing scams, weak passwords, and social engineering tricks.
Enforce strong passwords. Require unique, complex passwords and encourage password managers.
Use a business VPN. Secure remote connections and protect company data from cyber threats, especially when accessing sensitive systems from outside the office.
Back up data regularly. Store secure backups and test recovery plans to avoid losing data in an attack.
Conclusion: don’t wait for a data breach
A data breach can have devastating consequences, from financial losses and legal troubles to reputational damage and business disruptions. Being proactive is the only way to stay ahead of cyber threats. Businesses must identify vulnerabilities, monitor for leaked data, and respond quickly to prevent stolen information from being exploited.
NordStellar helps businesses do exactly that. Its threat exposure management solutions detect compromised credentials, block unauthorized access, and provide real-time alerts to stop cyberattacks before they escalate. Instead of waiting for a breach to happen, companies can take control of their security and protect their most valuable assets before it’s too late.
Get a NordStellar Demo Read...Newslink ©2025 to PC World |  |
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