While October is famous for its autumn foliage and festive fairs, it's also Cyber Security Awareness Month. This annual initiative aims to raise awareness about protecting ourselves online. In today’s digital age, being proactive about our cyber security is crucial.
Cybercriminals are individuals or groups who engage in illegal activities online with the objective of obtaining financial data and exploiting identities. Their actions have significant repercussions, leading to severe consequences for the victims of a cyber attack.
According to the
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, there are four simple steps we can take to stay safe online at home, work and school. By sharing these tips with our communities, we can all become significantly safer online. These actions include:
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are long, random, unique and include all four character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols). Password managers are a powerful tool to help you create strong passwords for each of your accounts.
Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication
You need more than a password to protect your online accounts and enabling MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. Enable MFA on all your online accounts that offer it, especially email, social media and financial accounts.
Recognize and Report Phishing
Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources. Report phishing attempts and delete the message.
Update Software
Ensuring your software is up to date is the best way to make sure you have the latest security patches and updates on your devices. Regularly check for updates if automatic updates are not available.
All month long, we will share cyber security tips and resources to foster awareness of the associated risks. Our goal is to empower individuals with the tools they need to assess risks and protect themselves from cybercrime.
Learn more about how to arm yourself with the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the game.
