Cybersecurity Tips & Best Practices

With the ever-advancing nature of technology comes an increased risk of falling victim to cybercriminals. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re sharing industry tips and best practices for both individuals and businesses. Read on to learn how to arm yourself or company against digital threats!

1. Use Strong Passwords & Multi-Factor Authentication

The three must-haves for a strong password are length, complexity, and uniqueness. Aim for a minimum of 16 characters, to include a variety of numbers, special characters, and letters with varying capitalization. It can be tempting to use the same password for every platform that requires login credentials; however, it’s not a good idea: if one account is hacked, every account that shares its password can be hacked, too. Use a password manager––a secure software tool that stores, manages, and generates complex passwords inside an encrypted vault––so you don’t have to keep up with and/or memorize them. Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication, or MFA, adds another level of security. This feature creates a required additional step, such as inputting a one-time code received via SMS or email, for logging into your account. MFA can be the difference between someone successfully hacking your account and hitting a roadblock in the middle of the attempt.

2. Recognize & Report Phishing

Knowing what to watch for can be the difference between recognizing a scam and falling victim to one. Phishing occurs when cybercriminals attempt to obtain your personal information and/or infect your device by having you open harmful links or attachments. The “bait” most often used to perpetuate these scams is a message that appears to be from a trusted sender; however, there are always signs that something is wrong. Look for urgent or emotionally appealing language, especially claims of “dire” consequences for not responding immediately. Any request for personal or financial information is an immediate red flag, as is incorrect grammar and spelling. Never rely solely on proper grammar and spelling, though, as artificial intelligence technology makes it easier for scammers to avoid these errors. Finally, it’s crucial to understand that a sender’s name can appear as anything they want it to, beyond a simple first and last name. For example, the sender name could say this: janedoe@amazon.com while the email address from which it was sent is actually GQhGkDDm@rdzfiqcgu.us. Always look at the actual email address from which the message came. If it is a conglomeration of random characters and a domain name you’ve never heard of, you can be certain that it’s untrustworthy. In the event that any of these signs of phishing are noted, the best thing you can do is immediately report and discard it.

3. Update Software

Regular software updates help safeguard your devices while simultaneously fixing bugs. Devices typically notify us when updates are available to their operating systems, programs, and applications. To maintain peak cybersecurity, it’s important to install all updates, especially for web browsers and antivirus software. Do so as soon as possible or, even better, enable automatic updates.

4. Prepare & Respond

Minimizing threats to cybersecurity is crucial, but so is having a plan in place for whenever a threat becomes reality. Businesses and individuals should create an emergency response plan and review/refine it at least once per year.

For more tips on cybersecurity, visit www.cisa.gov/topics/cybersecurity-best-practices.