New Year, Same Cyber Threats

As we begin another year, we continue to see the rising threat of cyber-attacks on businesses, hospitals and, more recently, state municipalities and counties. The success of these attacks is a reminder of the importance of following best practices to reduce risk and protect data from unauthorized access. Individual awareness plays an important part of protecting the digital services we rely on more and more each year.

Following best practices such as using multi-factor logon options whenever they are available and being cautious with any SMS text or email messages that asks you to click on something or open attachments can go a long way at defending against threats in the new year and beyond!

Remember to follow these other best practices:

• Avoid unsecured public WiFi. Whether you’re working remotely at your local coffee shop, or on vacation, often the WiFi networks are often “secured” by extremely weak passwords shared amongst many, making them insecure. Avoiding using public WiFi can increase your data privacy

• Change up your passwords. Establish strong passwords on every account. With a strong password, it is harder for cybercriminals to hack into your systems. Remember to keep your passwords in a secure password manager, updating them frequently, and avoid “remember me” and “autofill”.

• Keep an eye out for unknown email addresses or phone numbers. Don’t answer any phone calls from a number you don’t recognize, as well as any emails from an address that is unfamiliar.

• Stay vigilant on your financial accounts. Create a routine of checking your financial statements and keep track of the activity on your credit report.

• Be aware of suspicious links and attachments. Nearly all high-profile breaches begin with a click on a link or opening an attachment. If you don’t recognize the sender, delete the message.

For more information on how to take action and protect information from cybercriminals please visit our Cybersecurity Center.