October is cybersecurity awareness month, so it is only appropriate to explain what this is and why it is important to prioritize your cybersecurity. Since 2004, the president and congress have been stressing the importance of cybersecurity. The cybersecurity theme for 2022 is “See Yourself in Cyber.” The goal of this year’s theme is to encourage people to look closely at how secure their online data is. Cybersecurity, though it sounds like a technology problem, but when you get down to the main goal of cybersecurity, it is all about people.
Here is how you apply cybersecurity in your everyday life, which is the goal of this cybersecurity awareness campaign, “See Yourself in Cyber.”
Stay Safe Online
See Yourself in Cyber by staying safe online. Staying safe online requires a little extra attention to your online habits. Just as you maintain good personal hygiene, you must maintain good cyber hygiene. Good cyber hygiene is easy to get in the habit of maintaining. Here are the specifics of what good cybersecurity hygiene looks like and how you can take care to keep yourself secure.
Think Before You Click
Think before you click. If something advertised online looks too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t fall into the trap of “winning” something and give over valuable personal information. Clicking a compromised or unsecured link can lead to malware downloading on your computer.
If a site is asking for private information, before continuing to give that to them, look into the legitimacy of the site. Make sure it hasn’t been previously reported. These extra steps can save you from losing the security of your private information.
Update Your Software
When your computer software comes out with an update, install it as soon as possible. Often updates include gaining increased security measures. A new update can help flag suspicious activity, and it will keep your computer working properly.
If you see an update is available and you are busy working, maybe it’s not the best time for you to update your computer, set a time for when you are asleep for your computer to update. If you are worried you will forget, turn on automatic updates.
Computer updates clean out the old and install the new, it is important for the lifespan of the technology you rely on every day to keep up with updates.
Use Strong Passwords
A huge part of good cyber hygiene and overall cyber security is using strong passwords. Use strong passwords for all your online accounts, but especially your sensitive accounts, such as banking or any service that requires keeping your payment methods on file.
A strong password includes a variety of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and characters. Never use the same password for a different account. This can lead to a large breach of your personal information and overall cybersecurity.
Use Two-Step Verification
If there is an option to use two-step verification, use it! The process of two-step verification is nearly impossible to crack through, keeping you and your information to stay secure. Use MFA, which stands for multi-factor authentication, whenever possible.
The added step of needing more than one password or device to sign into another significantly reduces the risk of your personal information being compromised. The extra step may be annoying at times, but in an age where so much of people’s valuable personal information is online, you must take your security seriously.
Call Computer CPR
Taking the extra steps to increase your security is worth it. The few seconds longer it takes you to sign in can save you from battling the compromise of your security. “See Yourself in Cyber” by taking these steps to prioritize your online safety. Online safety is just as important as your physical safety, view this as an alarm system for your computer instead of your home. We have a knowledgeable IT team that can help you with any computer problems you may be experiencing, call us at (817) 915-0111 or contact us anytime. We value your cybersecurity, “See Yourself in Cyber” with Computer CPR.