Q4 | 2020

 

Anonymity online isn’t automatic and should not be assumed anymore. Just about anything we do or say online is in the public domain. The very open-and-everywhere nature that makes Cloud applications so useful also means that once our data is uploaded, it’s out of our hands and hosted on servers that could be anywhere, under anyone’s control.

 

no more
tricks

This October join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance in celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We can work together to take back our online spaces by holding ourselves and our service providers to a higher standard of privacy.

 

close up

Our user accounts define our online presence. The digital information there is just as valuable to criminals as anything in our wallets or purses. Keep them close and keep them closed:

  • Choose strong, unique passwords for every new account and update them regularly.
  • Never share accounts, usernames or passwords with anyone.
  • Never write down login information.

check up

Keep track of what you share and with whom. Verify friend or follower requests in person or ask a mutual colleague for a reference.

Verify any links, attachments, downloads, or emails sent to you before opening or sharing. Consider that even a trusted friend may have been hacked. If you get a confusing or out-of-context message, use a different contact method, such as a phone call or a text, to confirm that your friend actually sent the message in question.

Don’t use third party apps or add-ons until you’ve read the privacy policy and you understand the extent of the information you are sharing.

Beware of “clickbait”, social media quizzes that require you to authorize an app to see the results. Many are outright traps designed to capture information that will enable cybercriminals to impersonate unsuspecting users online.

lock up

It’s equally important to physically secure all of your devices wherever you are. Even if a thief doesn’t have the skills to break your devices’ security (and potentially all your passwords and personal information), if it is stolen you won’t have access to the device, or anything on it.

  • Keep personal electronics on your person or locked out of sight.
  • Set your desktop, laptop, and handheld devices to auto-lock after one minute.

back up

One of the things the Cloud is great at is preserving information. It’s never been easier to maintain a thorough backup schedule. It’s as easy as setting an alarm clock. And if a backed-up device fails or goes missing, it’s a relatively simple matter to restore the missing data and continue working.

Back up your devices regularly to protect important information. For extra security, set a schedule – maybe every three months – for changing the passwords you use to access Cloud-based storage or applications.

clean up

And finally, remember that whatever you post online is likely going to stay online, and it will only get more widely accessible over time. Even if you delete posts or photos from the social media interface, those records are still stored on a server somewhere, completely out of your control and often with questionable security that will only get worse with age. When closing down old accounts, read site policies carefully and take steps to secure your information.

 

dhs sop

Department of Homeland Security Standard Operating Procedures:

Own IT

  • Never Click and Tell: stay safe on social media.
  • Update Privacy Settings: know what you share and with whom.
  • Keep Tabs on Your Apps: only use approved apps and check the permissions.

Secure IT

  • Shake Up Your Passphrases: create strong, unique passphrases.
  • Double Your Login Protection: turn on multi-factor authentication.
  • Shop Safe Online: don’t get fooled by lookalike “watering hole” websites.
  • Play Hard to Get: learn to spot and avoid phishing attacks.

Protect IT

  • If You Connect, Protect: update to the latest security software, browser and operating system.
  • Stay Protected While Connected: practice Wi-Fi safety and watch for fake hotspots.
  • Collect It? Protect It: keep customer data safe.

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month