October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. What is that? A collaborative effort between the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance – a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. The overall message each year is: Stop. Think. Connect. Consumers need to take security and safety precautions seriously. Understand the consequences of your actions and behaviors online and enjoy the benefits of the internet. Computers lead our lives through financial transactions, transportation systems, healthcare records, personal communications, etc. Cyber criminals are bold. We constantly see headlines about data breaches, attacks on banks, utilities, schools, election systems, and major retailers.
Holiday shopping is right around the corner and the Better Business Bureau has a few tips and reminders:
- Click with caution. Only open emails, attachments and links from people you know.
- Use anti-virus software, enhance email filters to block threats. Keep your operating system, software, browsers and apps up to date.
- Don’t believe everything you see. It’s very easy for criminals to steal logos, colors, names, etc. of established businesses. Hover over links to see where they lead. Be wary – of malicious emails that may look or sound like legitimate websites but are not.
- Safeguard your information. Don’t reveal personal or financial information in an email or to any stranger. Watch for urgent instructions such as, “click on the link or your account will be closed.”
- Verify email requests. If you are unsure whether an email is legitimate, contact the company directly (using information provided on your statement not information provided in an email.
Businesses should also take steps to protect themselves:
- Protect against viruses
- Secure your networks
- Establish security practices and policies to protect sensitive information
- Educate employees about cyber threats
- Require employees to use strong passwords (and change them often)
- Control physical access to office computers and network components
- Create a mobile device action plan
- Protect all pages on your public-facing websites
