As the tech world continues to grow, so does the magnitude of cyberattacks. Below are some useful cyber security support tips to keep in mind for 2023.
New Year, New Password
Most of us rarely change our password, or we use the same password for all of our accounts. This can make us vulnerable during data breaches. It is important to have variety in your passwords and change them often. The next time you create a password, use a short sentence (aka passphrase) that will resonate with you, such as “IM!ssLA140.” Incorporating special characters into passphrases adds to their complexity, ultimately making them harder to guess.
Hover Over Links
It’s simple to just aimlessly click on links we receive, not even thinking where it may lead us. Next time, take a breath and hover over the link with your cursor, or tap and hold with your finger on a smartphone to ensure the destination it’s leading you to is legit and not an attempt to embed malware on your computer, phone, or tablet.
Delete Files You Don’t Need
Keeping sensitive information on your computer for a while is never a good idea. Delete the information after it has served its purpose from your computer immediately, or if you have it physically printed, bring it to your nearest shredder. If a hacker decides they wanted to steal your information, they’ll find themselves like upset kids in an empty toy store, considering all sensitive information will be gone.
Know How To Identify a Phishing Email or Text Message
With the overload of emails and text messages we each receive on a daily basis it can be hard to stop and check to see if something looks “fishy”. Here are a few tips on how to quickly identify fake messages:
- Generic greetings: Emails that begin with “Dear user” or “Hello INSERT COMPANY NAME member” are fishy!
- Fake URL: If the web address is scrambled or looks suspicious, don’t click and exit the browser.
- A sense of urgency: Sound the alarm! Take the time to think and review the message thoroughly before taking action. Does your boss really need you to use your Visa to order 25 gift cards by noon?
- Poorly written: Typos, misspellings, and incorrect grammar are common in phishing emails and texts.
- Asks for sensitive info: This is a big no no! Never offer personal, credit card, or account info via email, text, or phone.
Verify Sender Information
Protecting your data can be as simple as confirming an email you receive comes from a legitimate address. This means maybe googling the email address to locate its source. If you receive emails that look fishy delete them and report them to your IT team and most important don’t respond!
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Getting hacked is not fun and not being able to do anything to protect your information is even worse. Installing a two-factor authentication app like Duo or enabling two-factor via text message verification will make it much harder for your accounts to be compromised.
Don’t Open Attachments Unless You Are Expecting Them
Curiosity killed the cat and when it comes to receiving emails or text messages with attachments you want to be careful. Some of these attachments may have code embedded in them that allows cybercriminals to roam through your device in the background. Do not open any attachments with extension labels such as .exe, .scr, .vbs, .hta, .reg, or .bat.
Tech is always changing and that means more cyber attacks are possible. If you need help with your cyber security support contact Reis and book your Complimentary Cyber Security Assessment below.