A variety of means are available to ensure a user’s cybersecurity. These range from education about the dangers on the Net to training in information technology security to the use of tools and programs that enable users to protect themselves from attacks from cyberspace. Given that cyberattacks do not always occur via the Internet, cybersecurity encompasses yet another aspect: fending off threats that take advantage of modern electronic, telecommunications and IT capabilities.

The dangers of the digital world

The term cybercrime is broad. Often, cybercrime – like cybersecurity in the reverse case – refers to crime on the Internet. Therefore, while in common parlance users are concerned with security measures on the Internet, they often disregard the fact that any form of crime that makes use of electronic, telecommunications and IT means can be classified as cybercrime. Therefore, computer crime is by far the more appropriate term to describe the entire subject.

Cybercrime includes, among other things, the illegal tapping of private, personal or even critical information. This information can be stolen from a corporate network via the Internet just as it can be stolen from a person’s credit card by means of technical devices, while the person unsuspectingly passes the perpetrator in the crowd.

What is cybersecurity and how do I take care of it?

The vastness of the topic and the threat level – especially due to the daily increase in digital possibilities – already show: cybersecurity is important. You only have to consider how much data you process every day on your computer, tablet or smartphone, how many accounts you use for a wide variety of applications and on various platforms on the Internet, and how much credit and bank data and similarly sensitive data is requested in everyday life. All this data is vulnerable and, without protection, exposed to cybercriminals who misuse it for their own purposes. Most consumers will have experienced credit card fraud at least once in their lives. But offenses with even more far-reaching consequences are also wide open without the necessary precautions.

In order to prevent cybercriminals from harming oneself, loved ones, or even one’s own company, and possibly resulting in legal consequences for the victim as well, it is important to familiarize oneself in detail with the topic and learn about the necessary security and cybersecurity tools.

Recommendations for more cyber security: Put a stop to data theft

Simple gadgets such as lead-reinforced credit card holders prevent data theft offline. A small but effective blockade makes it difficult or even impossible for criminals to tap into sensitive bank or credit card information.

Such a blockade must be set up in a figurative sense for IT systems. One of the most important recommendations for cyber security is still something that many users have long been fed up with: strong passwords. They may be long, unwieldy and complicated to remember, but in terms of basic protection, they are highly effective. Whether it’s a person trying to gain unlawful access to a computer and failing to enter the correct password. Or be it a hacker trying to crack an online account.

For comprehensive basic protection, however, other cybersecurity tools are needed that should be standard for every user. A firewall, for example, is essential. This can exist on the computer and / or router, but should be used in any case. A firewall prevents unauthorized access to one’s computer or network. The settings are used to configure who or what can access the Internet from the network and vice versa who or what can access the network from the Internet.

A firewall is particularly effective in combination with an antivirus program, which not only detects viruses, Trojans and other malware, but also removes them immediately. Regular security scans on the PC or network are essential and should become routine for optimal cybersecurity.

Tip 1: Inform yourself thoroughly in advance

It sounds trite, but you should understand what you are putting your money into. If you are interested in a specific stock and don’t want to rely solely on your gut feeling, you should, for example, take a look at the AG’s annual report, the latest quarterly figures, analyses and economic forecasts.

Or you can use the expertise of professionals and prefer to invest in a stock fund. The advantage: The fund managers of your savings bank or bank will take care of the analyses. Here, too, you should inform yourself: How is the company rated in the annual Capital ranking, for example? And does the fund’s orientation match your personal risk-reward profile?

Tip 2: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Have you read up on the stock market and have a specific stock in mind? That’s a good start for beginners. But maybe you’re thinking about several stocks and can’t make up your mind. You don’t necessarily have to. Because once you start with an equity fund, your money will be spread across hundreds of different stocks. As an investor, you minimize the risk if a company posts bad figures or even goes bankrupt.

If you want to get into stocks, but want to take a little less risk, so-called mixed funds are also interesting. These invest the money not only in stocks, but also in interest-bearing securities. Depending on how the fund managers assess the markets, the proportion of shares can also be reduced from time to time.

In this way, you have spread your money twice: You distribute your money between equities AND bonds – and within these two asset classes, once again between many different individual securities.

Tip 3: Only invest available capital

You should only invest capital on the capital market that you do not have otherwise earmarked. If you know that you will need the money in the next five years for living expenses, to repay your personal loan or for other purchases, the following applies: Hands off. Because you should avoid a fixed time of sale, which could be particularly unfavorable at that time.

For example, you need to buy a car in two years. Until then, you invest the money in shares. But exactly at the moment when you need the car, the stock market has a weak phase. As a result, you have to sell at a loss.

Tip 4: Be patient with your investment

You need a new kitchen, but you are a few thousand euros short. So invest the money on the stock market and get the missing funds so quickly? Please don’t! When investing money on the stock market, you need more patience – it’s better not to bet on the quick euro. A good idea, on the other hand, is regular saving with a fund savings plan.

If you depend on speedy profits, you will inevitably have to bet on a high-risk investment. This can work out well, but far too often beginners in particular fall into a trap here. Because with an unbalanced portfolio, you could end up with nothing.

If, on the other hand, you show patience and invest with foresight, you have a much better chance of making the best possible investment. Over time, the risk of losing money with stocks decreases significantly.

Tip 5: Don’t let losses make you nervous

Of course, you go into the stock race with the expectation of achieving the best possible return. But the stock market is always on the move and your portfolio can also show losses at a certain point in time.

Price fluctuations are quite normal and happen again and again. This is not bad luck, but on the contrary a sign that the securities markets work and supply and demand change. Prepare yourself for the fact that corrections may occur and do not fall into panic and actionism. React with a cool head.

In the case of stocks, you can set yourself a “stop-loss” limit to be on the safe side, i.e. a value above which you definitely want to dump your investment. On the other hand, price corrections can also be just the right time to buy at a favorable price.

Tip 6: Remain skeptical about stock tips

You hear or read a surefire tip from a supposed stock market guru? With which more than 10 or 20 or more percent return is safe? Then we also have a tip for you: Be careful!

There are a lot of so-called experts in the field of financial investments who make promises to you. But you should always ask yourself what interest the person has in telling you this information.

It is therefore better to approach all too tempting tips and advice with a healthy skepticism.

Tip 7: Do not speculate, invest

Buy, sell, buy, sell: That’s how some people imagine investing in securities. Normally, this does not have much to do with reality. The fact that you buy a share and then immediately sell it again after days or weeks is hopefully the exception.

Because if you trade a lot and quickly, you produce one thing first and foremost: costs. When buying and selling, fees are incurred that must first be recouped by the performance of the stock or a fund.

If you invest in a structured and broad way, you don’t have to keep going in and out of stocks.

Tip 8: Use the compound interest effect

Let your money work for you. This sentence best describes what compound interest means for your investment. It is the lever that allows you to exploit its full potential.

The idea behind it is relatively simple: You reinvest your profits or interest to generate further income. In other words, you add your profits to the capital you have invested in order to have the chance of greater returns. With funds, reinvestment usually happens automatically, so you don’t have to take any action yourself.

Compound interest is one of the most important mechanisms of wealth creation. Albert Einstein answered the question what the strongest force in the universe was: “That is compound interest!” It pays off for you, especially in the long run. So use this effect to be able to increase your assets decisively.

Tip 9: Check your investment regularly

You should manage your investment with a steady hand. However, this does not mean that you should neglect your portfolio. Even if you have the financial market reasonably in view, signs can change. You should not sleep through such developments.

It is better to talk about your portfolio together with your investment advisor on a regular basis – preferably at least once a year – and make adjustments if necessary.

Tip 10: Don’t wait any longer

Do you feel there is still so much to learn and therefore don’t venture into stocks? Take heart, because every day without an investment is a day without the chance of a return.

You don’t have to be a stock market specialist to enter the capital market. That’s exactly why there are funds and professionals who take care of the management. And once you’re in – with a fund savings plan, for example – investing in the capital market is just normal for you.

With a dividend, a stock corporation gives its investors a share in its profits. This is done with an annual distribution, also called a dividend. By buying shares, you can participate in the dividend payments.

Dividends are particularly interesting for savers who want to build up their assets sustainably over the long term. In the long term, shares have a higher yield compared to bonds. This is particularly noticeable with a long-term investment horizon.

Dividends therefore play a significant role in your wealth accumulation. In addition to a long investment horizon, investors should also have a higher level of risk awareness. The effect of a higher yield due to long-term planning is considerable.

What is a dividend yield and why does a company pay it?

Dividends are a form of profit sharing. Every company strives to make a profit. It usually uses part of the profit to invest in its own business. The rest is distributed to the company’s shareholders – for each share they receive a dividend.

And what is the dividend yield? Some people compare it to interest rates. It tells you how much money the investor will receive in the end.

Holders of funds participate in the dividend payments of many companies. This has two main advantages for investors: First, dividends function as a risk buffer. In the event of price declines, the loss in value can be absorbed or minimized with their help. Secondly, the dividends paid by the companies generate current income.

Dividend payments are regarded worldwide as a hallmark of healthy companies. After already very successful dividend years, experts expect dividend payments worldwide to continue to develop positively.

However, investors should note that dividend payments in the past are not a reliable indicator of future dividend development. A decline in dividend yields cannot be ruled out.

Do all stock corporations pay dividends?

Not all companies pay a dividend. This is because profits do not have to be distributed. Around 40 percent of international companies and even 60 percent of U.S. companies pay no dividend at all.

This includes many tech companies such as Google or Amazon. They reinvest all their cash back into the business. There may be strategic reasons for this: Companies prefer to invest the money in themselves in order to grow faster.

What should you look out for?

Dividend shares are considered to be a conservative investment, but the highest dividend payout is of little use if the share price falls at the same time.

The dividend yield, as published in stock exchange databases, for example, usually refers to the most recently paid dividends. These do not always reflect the reality of the company’s current business situation. Investors should therefore be aware of the company’s current figures.

A normal investor can hardly do this. This makes professional advice all the more important. Those who invest in actively managed dividend funds minimize the risk of individual shares.

Experienced fund managers know the company’s key figures and know where the risks lie. Your securities advisor at the savings banks can help you with up-to-date information.

How is your dividend yield calculated?

The amount of the dividend initially depends on how much money the company has in its coffers. On this basis, the management board of the stock corporation makes a dividend proposal. At the Annual General Meeting, the shareholders then vote by simple majority on whether or not to accept this dividend proposal.

The dividend yield is calculated using the share price. This means it is calculated by dividing the agreed dividend by the current share price. The result is then multiplied by a factor of 100.

Conclusion

The yields on dividends are often very pleasing compared with the interest rates on federal or corporate bonds. But it is not easy for ordinary investors to decide which companies offer the best dividend prospects in the long term.
The decisive factor is quality. All the better if an experienced fund management team takes a thorough look at the companies. In dividend funds, professional fund managers select the most promising stocks. By spreading the investment over a large number of companies, the risk is also reduced.

Investors should therefore not be guided solely by the dividend amount. Broadly diversified funds that allow you to participate sustainably in the dynamics of the capital market are particularly suitable for your asset accumulation. A good dividend strategy complements your portfolio.

The securities can consist of shares, funds or ETFs, for example. Depending on the type, you can choose from accumulating securities or you can rely on the distribution of dividends.

In the age of online banking, there are many banks and brokers that offer appropriate securities accounts with investment options for this purpose.

Trader. Profit, risk, stress.

A trader earns by trading securities. Trader’s profit comes from the price differences of the securities. In most cases, the price difference occurs when the quotes rise or fall over time, and the essence of the trader’s work comes down to speculation with securities. It allows achieving more profit than just investing, and may well be the only source of income. On the other hand, a trader (often they are just called speculators) takes more risks. One wrong decision and his losses will be enormous.

The trader often trades relying on the technical analysis of the market. With its help trader determines where share prices may move and at what moment to make a deal. However, fundamental factors are not alien to him. From time to time he takes into account the situation in the economy, corporate news and many other things.

A speculator opens positions, i.e. buys or sells stocks for a short period of time, from several seconds to several weeks. Such trading requires very quick decisions and is associated with high stress.

One of the world’s most famous traders is named Lewis Borselino. He devoted 18 years of his life to the Chicago Stock Exchange. All this time Lewis worked on the trading floor, where others did not last even two years. In his first eight years on the exchange, Borselino had already earned his first million. He was only 30 years old at the time. Now Lewis Borselino is a world-class expert in stock trading and is on CNBC’s list of leading traders.

Most traders are salaried employees and trade on their employers’ funds. These are professional market participants working for banks, investment companies, pension funds, etc., who receive a percentage of profit from transactions as remuneration. In this case all the risks are borne not by trader but by employer. The trader risks only with his reputation. Such work requires a special license

To trade on your own funds, as a rule, you do not need a license. In this case, the trader acts at his own risk, that is, he is responsible for both profit and loss.

Investor. Less aggression, more calculation

An investor invests money in securities. The investor’s profits come from price increases and dividends received over the course of the investment. An investor usually invests money in stocks for a long-term period of one year or more. The profitability of such investments is lower in comparison with trading. This is due to the fact that the investor makes much less transactions than the trader. However, the risk of investing is considerably lower: as a rule the long-term stock trend is always directed upward, so the investor, if he is patient, has no fear of losing money.

More often than not, an investor relies on fundamental factors in his calculations. They help him evaluate the long-term attractiveness of the chosen company. But, as in case of a trader, technical analysis can be a useful adjunct.

To make a final decision to buy a stock, an investor needs to consider two main parameters:

The relative value of the securities. By examining multiples, it is possible to understand whether a company’s stock is worth the money the market is asking for it;
a company’s prospects. It is important for an investor to get an idea of a company’s future success by looking at its financial strength and future cash flows.
Financial statements can help answer these questions.

With the right approach, investing can provide a comfortable retirement and a good passive income. But to really achieve this, you need an investment plan and regular investments. In this case, even the smallest money will very quickly turn into a large capital.

What is scareware?

The term “scareware” is made up of the English words “scare” and “software”. Scareware is malware that tricks the user into believing that there is an acute or imminent threat, and is thus intended to induce the user to take certain actions. This can be a payment or the installation of an actual malware program. Such social engineering tactic is thus a scam that can cause a lot of damage. This also happens because the scareware is not always easy to recognize as such.

How can you recognize scareware?

The best and easiest way to recognize scareware and other malware and take the best possible action against it is to stay calm. With a little distance and a clear head, you can recognize the malware in many cases at first or at least second glance. A good antivirus program does not build up a threatening backdrop, but instead calmly and seriously presents a solution. Concentrated capital letters, numerous exclamation marks and horror scenarios, as well as an unrealistic threat posed by several viruses at the same time, are therefore good indicators of a fraud attempt. The same applies to the second example: an authority does not communicate via pop-up or desktop display – but scareware does.

However, if a scareware is more professionally designed, it may not be distinguishable from a legitimate program at first glance. Even in this case, however, there are some clues that indicate malware. These include:

• High frequency alerts: when an antivirus program has detected a threat, it makes itself known and then guides you through the necessary steps. Scareware, on the other hand, often follows up with several pop-ups to make the supposed threat seem even more acute.
• New windows and programs: If you have already clicked on scareware, it may install programs or add new windows on its own. If your browser or desktop changes without your intervention, it is an indication that malware is already on your computer, smartphone or tablet.
• Decreased performance: malware harms your device, often slowing it down. So, if you notice that operations suddenly take longer, the screen freezes or programs crash for no apparent reason, this can be an indication of scareware.
• No access to certain programs: You may also find that you can no longer access certain programs. This can also indicate an infestation and definitely requires immediate countermeasures.

What to do in case of scareware infection?

The question arises as to which countermeasures are most suitable in the event of an infection with scareware. Different malware may also require different approaches, but the following steps are usually promising:

1. First, remove the downloaded program and all files associated with it. On a PC, this can be done via the Control Panel and the “Uninstall a program” option. Find the malware in the list and delete it completely. On a Mac, select “Programs” in the Finder and find the scareware there. Then drag it to the Trash and empty it. While this step is important and correct, scareware often infects other areas as well, so, unfortunately, a simple deletion process will not remove all of its components.
2. For this reason, you should turn off your computer afterwards and restart it in safe mode. In this mode, the computer only accesses the most important programs and thus stops the scareware from working. In Windows, click “Restart” and hold down the Shift key at the same time. After the restart, select “Troubleshoot” and “Advanced options”. Here you will find the item “Startup Settings” and press the “F5” key. This will start your PC in safe mode with network drivers. On the Mac, also hold down the Shift key while restarting. After a short time, the login screen will appear.
3. This way, your computer will work with only the most necessary programs, keeping the scareware at bay, but still allowing you to access the Internet. Thus, you can download, install and run a real anti-malware program. Such a program will find all the components of the scareware and delete them. If you already have an anti-virus program installed, run it. It is important that the software fits your device. There is special software for Android and iOS that achieves the best results.