Protecting Yourself Against Cyber Threats
Data Breaches of some kind are in the media almost daily now.
We hear of large Fortune 500 companies being hacked with millions of their customers information having been breached. Hospitals, Hotels, Retail Stores, even our Federal Government have all been victims of data breaches.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that it takes on average 400 hours of your
time to correct a single identity theft.
What can we do to protect ourselves?
Below are 6 Tips to help protect yourself and your business when shopping online:
- Passwords – be sure you are using strong passwords. Different passwords for each account and use numbers and symbols when allowed. Avoid using family member names and or dates of births as a part of your password for ease at
remembering them. - VPN (Virtual Private Network) – These can protect you when using personal
devices on public WIFI. Most public WIFI is unencrypted and unsecured
which makes users vulnerable to “man in the middle” (MITM) attacks. VPNs
create a “secure tunnel” where data is sent over a WIFI connection that is now
encrypted. These can be purchased via many mobile device carrier plans and
can be used to protect multiple devices. - Best Judgement/Instinct – Use good judgement and trust your gut to avoid
possible phishing attempts via email and texts. Avoid clicking on ads via text
that promise hard-to-believe deals. Avoid opening attachments and clicking
links in email unless they are from a very reliable and known source. If the
email seems out of character, pick up the phone and call the sender of the
email to verify the email is legit. - Website Privacy Policy – Be aware of how much personal private information you
are giving out and who you are giving it to. Review a sites privacy policies prior
to revealing information. - HTTPS vs HTTP – check to be sure the IP address Wis HTTPS prior to entering any credit card or private information. HTTPS indicates that your session is secure and that the site you are on is using encryption to protect your personal data.
- Purchase Cyber Liability Insurance from Clark-Mortenson.