Take Advantage of National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October 24, 2022

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October marks one of the internet’s high-traffic times of the year with holiday shopping, travel bookings, and end-of-year crunch time at work. It is only appropriate, therefore, that in a joint effort between government and industry, the month of October has been designated National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). The goal of NCSAM is to educate consumers and businesses nationwide on how to maintain online safety and security.

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the co-leaders of NCSAM, along with companies around the globe, are working to provide awareness of potential cyber threats as well as ways to stay safe from them. This year’s theme, as developed by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the NCSA is See Yourself in Cyber. #BeCyberSmart.

For the average internet user or business owner, the threat of cyber-attack is a daily concern, but at the same time, strategies to combat this danger can seem intimidating or simply beyond the scope of their skill set. CISA and NCSA want to help consumers and business owners by providing some straightforward tips that can help protect them as they venture into the cyber world. To that end, here are four steps to make a part of your smart practice protocol:

• Think before you click: Recognize and report phishing. If a link looks a little off, think before you click. It could be an attempt to get sensitive information or install malware. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main agency that collects scam reports, including phishing incidents. Report the scam to the FTC online, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357 (9:00 AM – 8:00 PM, ET). You can also report the scam to your state consumer protection office. If you lost money or other possessions in a scam, report it to your local police as well
• Update your software. Don’t delay. We all know that software updates can pop up at the most inconvenient times but be sure to act promptly if you see a software update notification. Better yet, turn on automatic updates.
• Use strong passwords. Use passwords that are long, unique, and randomly generated. A password manager is a great tool to generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts. A password manager will also encrypt passwords securing them for you.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). You need more than a password to protect your online accounts, and enabling MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. It may be annoying to wait for a code before logging onto a favorite site, but having your private information stolen is even more annoying. Take the extra step and secure what is important.

For more tips, be sure to check out the Cyber security Awareness Month 2022 Public Toolkit, which is a great resource for understanding cybersecurity and finding ways to fortify your protective strategies. There is also nothing wrong with securing the advice and guidance of a reputable cybersecurity expert. If you are unsure of how to protect your business, your client data, your employees, and employee information reach out to Klipsys Technologies to discuss best practices and options to keep your data safe.