Cybersecurity Awareness Month has been recognized by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency every October since 2004. The event offers a reminder for individuals to protect themselves online as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace.
Great River Energy takes cyber threats very seriously and has several tips to help individuals make smart decisions whether at home or on the job. Follow these simple steps to help protect your privacy:
Protect your information
Be careful when giving out personal details online such as addresses, phone numbers, usernames, passwords and Social Security numbers. This is important to protect your identity from being stolen.
Don’t click on that
When dealing with people you don’t know, avoid clicking on links in emails, text messages and direct messages. Doing so could be a cybersecurity risk, as it could load a virus onto your device.
Apply some caution
Ensure apps are legitimate before downloading them as some can be malicious. Check to see who made the app, look at user reviews and research articles online about the app’s security features.
Protect your computer
Keep your smart devices with you all the time. When you can’t, utilize locking features that require a PIN, password, facial scan or fingerprint.
Use a password manager
Use capital and lowercase letters along with numbers and symbols that would be hard to guess and use a password manager, which spares you from writing down complex passwords.
Run antivirus software
Security professionals should ensure that all institution-owned computers have antivirus software.
Don’t forget to update
All computers and smart devices should have the latest versions of security software, web browsers, operating systems and programs.
Use multi-factor authentication
This offers a second step to secure accounts in case someone with bad intentions gets ahold of your password.
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