Cyber Safety
2020 Summerby Bethany Chinadle
Bethany Chinadle works for Triangle Communications.
Cybersecurity is a complicated matter, but experts agree on a few key points on how to protect yourself. The first step is to understand what cybersecurity is and why it’s crucial.
Cybersecurity is critical because it encompasses everything that pertains to protecting our sensitive data, personally identifiable information, intellectual property, and data from theft by criminals and adversaries. Cybersecurity risk is ever-increasing in this globally connected society. A combination of even more data being stored in the cloud and increasingly sophisticated cyber criminal networks and software lead to increasing cyber-attacks and data breaches.
In the past, a simple firewall or antivirus software was enough to protect a network and information – not anymore. Our society is increasingly reliant on the Internet. Personal data that could result in identity theft is now stored on multiple social media accounts, and sensitive information, such as credit cards, are now stored in accounts online. Whether for home or business, most of us rely on connected devices daily.
Here are 10 tips to protect yourself in this ever-connected world with increased threats to data security.
Tip #1: Everyone is a target to hackers
• No one is immune to being targeted.
• Keeping personal and business information secure is a responsibility for everyone.
Tip #2: Be careful of phishing scams – emails, phone calls, and pop-ups
• Phishing scams are a constant threat, and they tug at emotions, using social engineering to influence you to release username and passwords, credit card and banking information, etc.
• If you have any doubt about the request, call the person it is from to verify they sent the request.
• Be suspicious of any email, phone call, or text that asks for personal information or for you to verify personal information.
• Be wary of computer pop-ups stating it has been infected with a virus, and you must contact Microsoft to fix it; often, these are scams. When you call as instructed, scammers will request remote computer access and offer to fix it for hundreds of dollars. If you pay them, usually you have just fallen for a hoax.
Tip #3: Be cautious when clicking
• If you are not expecting an attachment or link in an email, or it looks suspicious, don’t click on it. Call the person to verify they sent it.
• Avoid visiting websites or downloading software from untrusted sources.
Tip #4: Keep software programs up-to-date
• Always install the latest security updates on all devices.
• Turn on automatic updates for your operating system.
Tip #5: Use hard-to-guess passwords
• Use a password management program like LastPass if you have trouble remembering passwords.
• Passphrases can help to remember passwords. A passphrase is a long password, usually a string of words like a short sentence.
• Don’t use the same password on all sites.
• Update passwords every six months or whenever password compromise is suspected.
Tip #6: Physically protect devices
• Lock or turn off the computer when leaving the desk.
• Use a passcode or pattern on all portable devices. A pattern is a series of finger swipes that can be used to gain access to a device instead of a password.
Tip #7: Protect sensitive data
• Don’t leave a list of passwords next to your device.
• Don’t store sensitive information, such as credit cards and social security numbers, on a device.
• Always use encryption when storing or transmitting sensitive data. Encryption is obscuring information so that only the intended recipient knows how to read it. Legitimate financial institutions may offer encrypted email services for sharing information.
Tip #8: Treat mobile devices with the same level of caution as a work computer
• Lock your device with a PIN (personal identification number) or password and set the device to electronically auto-lock after a certain amount of time
• Only install trusted apps.
• Keep smartphone or tablet operating systems and apps up-to-date.
• Enable loss or theft prevention tools, such as Apple’s Find My iPhone or Android’s Device Manager.
Tip #9: Use anti-virus software
• Windows 10 has a free, built-in antivirus that has been very highly rated.
• There are additional paid and free options available for download.
• Keep antivirus programs and definitions up-to-date to ensure the antivirus program remains active.
Tip #10: Back up data
• Back up data on a regular basis.
• Back up any files you would miss if they were lost.
• If you are a victim of an attack, sometimes the only way to fix the device is to restore a computer back to factory settings. With a factory restore, you will lose all files stored on your computer unless you have a backup on another device.
• Use a 3-2-1 back up strategy. Three copies of data, two copies on different media (external hard drives, flash drives, DVD’s, etc.), one copy offsite (Cloud, in a safe, in a lockbox, another building).
The rise in widespread use of technology has brought efficiencies to our lives, but it also has brought on a rise in cybercrime. It is important to remain vigilant in online activities and if in doubt, do further research before indiscriminately clicking on whatever appears. No one is ever completely protected from cyber threats, but by using some of the tips, hopefully, you can reduce the risk of being caught off guard by cybercriminals.