October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Now, more than ever, it’s vital to web aware of potential online threats to your data and security. This year, the theme of the month is #cybersmart, in hopes of promoting the important h ow-to knowledge that leads to smart decisions and better security online. 

Cybersecurity threats often come in the form of unknown email links and promotional advertisements. While it may sound very mid-90’s, the majority of security attacks still come from clicking on unknown links in your inbox.

While cybersecurity can sound overwhelming, there are simple, daily habits you can implements that can help you emphasize online safety to keep your life (and desktop) scam-free. 

Building up your knowledge can help you stay #cybersmart and can help protect your business. 

Tips for staying #cybersmart:

Don’t click unknown links: This may seem like a no-brainer, but like we said earlier, unknown links are STILL the number one cause of cyber security attacks. Most modern email programs are good at filtering out this kind of junk. Still, a good rule of thumb is to never click on an unknown link, especially from an unknown (and typically sketchy) email. 

Passwords: Nowadays most websites have certain requirements for passwords. Most prompt you to have at least one capital letter, a number, and a special character. They also suggest it’s random, with no person information included.

Take this password for example: Jks5oBnAG34!265. There is pattern or personal information, and there is a great amount of random letters, numbers, and character. With this kind of passwords, your information is better protected. BUT, if you decide to use this password for every account you have, that security level drops below zero. If a hacker gets one account passwords, they can easily get access to all other accounts, possibly including bank accounts, social media, and the back-end of your business page. 

Use a VPN: In the age on digital work and remote employment, it can be easy to think that since you’re at home you’re safe from attacks. But even in the four walls where you feel safest, cyber attacks can strike. If you work from home, it’s important to afford the same protection to private company information as you would in the office. Virtual private networks keep data safe. AND, most company will probably help pay for it (or already do) to help keep company data private. 

These are just a few simple but easy ways to stay #cybersmart. For more tech tips and the latest trends, read more from our blog.