Cybersecurity Awareness | Important Information About How to Keep Yourself Safe Online
Did you know that October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month? All it takes is one wrong click and you could get yourself into some serious trouble online. Take time this month to educate yourself on current scams so you know what to avoid and learn steps you can take to keep yourself safe online.
Check out our Savvy CyberSecurity webinar on October 24th, 2024, at 6:00pm EST and learn more information about how to help keep you and your loved ones safe online.
Cybersecurity Defined
In order to protect yourself online, it is important to understand what exactly is meant by cybersecurity.
As stated by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), cybersecurity is "the art of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or criminal use and the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information." In other words, "how to protect yourself and others online." Cybersecurity can come in many forms, from complex codes and cloud software to the passwords you set and the websites you visit.1
How to Protect Yourself Online:
Use Strong Passwords and Change Them Often
Creating a strong password is one of the most important steps you can take to making sure you are more secure online. Hackers can test common or simple passwords like “12345” or “password” across multiple user accounts until they gain access, this is called password spraying. Another common way hackers will try to gain access to your accounts is called credential stuffing. This is where hackers use passwords that appear on data breaches to see if they will work with a particular email address.2
The best way to avoid this happening to you is to choose a strong password and change it often. Include things like uppercase letters, numbers and special characters (@, !, $, etc.). A good rule of thumb is to change your password every 90 days and to have a different password for every site.
Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication
Setting up multi-factor authentication is key to making sure your online accounts are secure. Also called two-factor authentication, it helps verify it is actually you when logging onto sites and into accounts. After entering your password, you will then confirm your identity on a trusted device. This could look like typing in a code that is either sent by text or email, received by phone call to a trusted number or pressing a confirmation button in an email (be sure it is coming from a trusted source). While it’s great to have an extra layer of protection, multi-factor authentication will also send you a notification anytime someone tries to log into your account. If you get a notification and it was not you trying to access your account, you should report it right away.
Update Your Software
It may seem like you are getting software notifications every other day, but this is for good reason. You may be temped to click “Remind Me Later” but it is extremely beneficial to update your software as soon as possible as the updates contain important security fixes. Make sure to only download software updates from a trusted vendor website and never click on a link from an email especially if you do not know the sender. It’s also important to be on secure Wi-Fi when updating your software and avoid untrusted and unsecure Wi-Fi like at a coffee shop.
Use Wi-Fi with Extreme Caution
When connecting to unfamiliar public Wi-Fi it’s important to make sure you do so safely. While it may be convenient because it is readily available wherever you may go, there are some risks you take when connecting to a public network. To minimize the risk of cyber-attacks, avoid making financial transactions or accessing sensitive information when connected, consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which is a more secure way to access the internet and if possible, use your smartphone as a hotspot to avoid having to connect to public networks.
Taking precautions and educating yourself on the dangers of cyberattacks can help prevent you from becoming a victim. Keep these tips in mind and share them with friends and family to make sure they are staying safe online as well.
Looking for more ways to help keep yourself and loved ones secure? Check out our Savvy CyberSecurity webinar on October 24th, 2024, at 6:00pm EST. Click the link below to register.
October is also National Financial Planning Month. Check out these tips from our financial advisors on how to help plan out your finances and finish the year strong.
If you have questions about cybersecurity or want help with financial planning, talk to an advisor today!
- https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/tips/ST04-001
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/credential-stuffing-vs-password-spraying-arkoselabs
This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information, and provided by Twenty Over Ten. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.