Each October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a global initiative to educate everyone on the importance of cybersecurity. Online safety is important for large organizations and enterprises, but it also affects everyone on an individual level. This year, we’re sharing the basics of online security and sharing simple, yet effective, tips that everyone can use to stay safe online and protect their personal data.
Tip 1: Create Strong Passwords
Passwords are a valuable resource for cybercriminals. Weak or compromised passwords allow them to sidestep cybersecurity measures with a simple login, allowing them to gain access to your company’s (and your) information systems and data. Reusing personal credentials at work can leave you and your company at risk. By creating strong passwords, you can help to thwart cybercriminals and protect your personal information. Strong passwords should be:
- Long: At least 16 characters is an ideal length for a password.
- AlphaNumeric: Mix up the characters with upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Unique: Each account should have a unique password and using a password manager is the best way to keep track of them all.
A password manager can do the hard work for you by saving your usernames and passwords in a safely encrypted database, so you don’t have to remember every long, random, and unique password. Just one master password for your password manager is the only one you need to memorize.
Contact CyberClan for password manager solutions and recommendations.
Tip 2: Set up and enable Multifactor Authentication
Multifactor authentication, MFA for short, is like having a password for your password. MFA, or sometimes referred to ask two-factor authentication (2FA), is a cybersecurity measure for your account that requires a second step to further authenticate login credentials. MFA can take different forms, including:
- A numeric code sent from either an email or text message;
- An app that requires you to approve each login attempt;
- An answer to a security question, such as “What was your high school’s mascot?”;
- Biometric identifiers like a fingerprint scan or facial recognition;
- An extra PIN as well as your password;
- Or, a secure token, such as a key fob or a physical piece of hardware.
To set up and enable MFA for your accounts, follow these steps for each account:
- Go to ‘Settings’ – it might be called Settings and Privacy, Account Settings, or something similar.
- Search for and turn on MFA – it could also be called 2FA or two-step verification.
- Confirm – select the method to use from the options in each app or account.
It’s that easy to set up MFA and secure your accounts from cybercriminals.
Tip 3: Update Your Software
It’s all too easy to click “remind me later” when an update notification pops up, but those updates are a key feature in cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are on the lookout for weak spots and security flaws they can exploit to gain access to personal information and sensitive data. By installing updates as they become available, you are also getting access to the latest security features, as well as fixing bugs and improving overall performance.
To make it more convenient to update your devices, software, and apps, you can turn on automatic updates, watch for update notifications, and install them as soon as possible. Keeping your software updated is an easy way to stay safer online.
Tip 4: How to Recognize and Report a Phishing Attack
Did your boss really send you an email asking you to purchase gift cards? Likely not, it’s a phishing attempt. Phishing is when a cybercriminal uses a fake email, text message, social media post, or direct message to lure unsuspecting users into clicking a malicious link or downloading a bad attachment. The goal is to steal your personal information when you click a phishing link or file.
It’s easier to avoid falling for a phishing scam by recognizing the signs. A few questions to ask yourself include:
- Does it use language that sounds alarming, threatening, or urgent?
- Does the offer sound too good to be true?
- Is the greeting ambiguous or extremely generic?
- Is the message riddled with typos and poor grammar?
- Is there a request for personal information?
- Is it a strange and unexpected business request?
- Does the email address match the sender’s name?
If you suspect that you’ve received a phishing scam, there’s a few steps you can take to report the attempt. If it was sent to your work account, immediately report it to your IT manager or security officer. There are some email platforms that allow you to report a phishing attempt, a simple click and the message is reported. After you report a message, you can take an extra step and delete and/or block the sender. The most important part to remember is to not click on any of the links in the message, even the unsubscribe link.
Partner with Cybersecurity Professionals
Partner with a trusted cybersecurity firm, like CyberClan, to establish robust security protocols. Such a partnership will enable you to implement tailored risk management projects, incident response plans, post-breach remediation tactics, and managed security protocols. Combining this expertise with sophisticated tools helps you protect your network and avoid significant financial losses.
