Think about all the ways you or your house or your car connect to the Internet: banking apps, GPS navigation, home security system, games, medical records, TV, and more. This growing Internet of Things requires diligent security awareness.
This year, for Cyber Security Awareness Month, we've assembled guidelines on protecting this world of yours.
Be safe.
- Browse the web and read email with scrutiny. Any email notifying you of a locked account or suspended service should be considered suspicious. Be familiar with phishing scams and how to avoid them.
- Use secure browser connections whenever you login to a website and provide payment or personal information. Look for the S in https.
- Keep your devices close to you when in public and protect yourself if they're stolen .
- Use secure networks only when accessing personal accounts. If you need to logon to your bank or health account, be sure to do so only from a secured network. Public, open WiFi networks are not secure and should be avoided for anything personal.
Be ready.
- Always have antivirus software installed and check it regularly to ensure it's receiving updates.
- Always keep your operating system current with patches and updates.
- Backup files! Establish some backup process where your important or cherished files are backed up regularly to another device or to a protected cloud service.
Be guarded.
- Be familiar with the latest online scams . Just like phishing in emails, be wary of any phone calls and pop-ups claiming your computer is compromised. Never allow a stranger to access your computer. When in doubt, hang up and contact the company directly using the contact information listed on their website (not the contact information given to you by the caller).
- Use strong passwords !
- Encrypt sensitive data. If you need to email or send personal data, use encryption software like VeraCrypt.