By Ezra Stewart-Silver
Lexipol Content Quality and Operations
It’s October, which means two things: You can finally buy candy in bulk without fear of judgment, and it’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month. While the ramifications of eating an entire bowl of fun-sized Snickers may seem serious, cybersecurity lapses can lead to even greater suffering. In a world where public safety agencies rely on technology, keeping your information secure is more important than ever.
Here are five tips to protect yourself, your organization and your community from cyberthreats.
Use strong, unique passwords
This isn’t a new tip, but it’s still a priority. Long, complex, and unique passwords are your first line of defense against cybercriminals. Follow your organization’s password policy and consider using it as a template for your own personal password security. Strong passwords combine eight or more characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, digits and special characters. For personal passwords, a password manager can help keep everything organized and secure.
Pro tip: Never reuse passwords across accounts. One weak link can put multiple accounts at risk.
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication requires you to verify your identity with something other than just your password—like a code sent to your phone or email. MFA is a powerful cybersecurity tool for personal safety as well. Consider enabling it for entry points for sensitive data like your email inbox and banking sites.
Keep your software current
Don’t ignore that annoying little pop-up that asks you to update your software. Software updates often contain patches for security vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Outdated software is an open invitation for cybercriminals to find a way in.
Pro tip: Enable automatic updates whenever possible to take the guesswork out of staying secure.
Be wary of phishing attempts
Phishing scams are among the most common ways hackers access sensitive information. These attacks typically look like legitimate emails or messages but are designed to trick you into giving up passwords or personal information. Look for suspicious links, grammatical errors, or requests for sensitive information. When in doubt, verify the sender before clicking.
Pro tip: Hover over links in emails to see where they go. And if something seems too good (or too scary) to be true, it probably is.
Practice safe Wi-Fi habits
Public Wi-Fi networks are a hot spot for cybercriminals. When accessing sensitive information, it’s best to avoid public Wi-Fi. If you must use it, make sure you’re using a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your data.
Pro tip: If you’re out and about and need to connect, consider using your phone’s data or a secure hotspot instead of public Wi-Fi.
Cybersecurity isn’t just for the local government IT department. It is for everyone. This October let’s keep the scares to haunted houses and frightening volumes of candy—not your inbox or network.
