October is known as the month for haunted houses, cornfield mazes, goblins and ghosts. However, there is something out there that could make even those things cower in fear: a cyberattack.
Becoming a victim of online financial fraud or identity theft poses greater consequences than being scared. You can lose your hard-earned money you had bookmarked for a specific use. Worse, your personal information, including your social security number, could be stolen and used by someone claiming to be you.
Scared? We don’t blame you. However, October is Cyber Security Month, a time to identify and address cyber security weak spots. Take a look at the following tips to see where you can beef up your security prowess.
- Put up a “wall” of protection: Your computer has all kinds of ways to block attacks you don’t even know are happening. Most hardware comes with firewalls pre-installed, but you can purchase extra software packages for maximum protection and peace of mind. Read up on the type of protection that comes with your original device, and double check that settings are running and prepared for battle.
- Secure your connection: Lending your neighbor a cup of sugar is one thing, but sharing a WiFi connection is pushing it. As a rule, don’t let non-residents tag team your home’s internet connection. Not only does it slow your bandwidth, but it makes it easier for others to sleuth around your computer. If you’re using a public access WiFi, keep your internet use to information searches rather than information transactions for the same reason.
- Get cryptic with your passwords: Birthdays, Social Security numbers and phone numbers are easy to remember – but they’re even easier to hack. A solid password should contain upper and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and special characters when allowed. Make sure to mix up username-password combinations, too. If one account is compromised, you don’t want greedy hands to have access to all account as well.
- Avoid PDA: Public Displays and Access on computers at libraries and kiosks are handy in a pinch, but don’t rely on them for major personal use. You’re at the hands of the third party who owns the device, and it’s not guaranteed that their firewalls are activated or their software secured. If you can help it, don’t input personal information, even if on a secured site, as you never know the activities of users before and after you.
- Extend your security to your mobile devices: Most mobile devices nowadays are miniature computers that happen to make phone calls. Use the same precautions with phones and tablets that you would with a computer, and enable a password lock for your device in the event of left or loss.
Staying safe is as simple as acting on your security weaknesses. Take time during Cyber Security Month to patch up your security loopholes and be safer.
Milledgeville State Bank
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