Welcome to the first week of National Cyber Security Awareness Month. This week, we are focusing on basic cybersecurity essentials that you can use to protect your home and those with whom you live against cyber threats. Making your home environment secure also helps secure your work environment, particularly when working remotely or sharing information via cloud storage, synchronization, and collaboration services.
The information provided on the security awareness poster is worth reading in order to make your home environment more secure. In addition, please take a few minutes (12 minutes to be exact) to watch this video on keeping your children safe online. This video focuses on teenagers and their interaction on social networks as well as top cyber threats our children can encounter–strangers, friends, and themselves. Finally, please review the OUCH! newsletter on creating a cyber-secure home.
As for personal safe practices for your work and home computer:
- Keep a Clean Machine – having the latest security software, Web browser, and operating system is the best defense against viruses, malware, and other online threats
- Back it Up – protect your valuable work, music, photos and other digital information by making an electronic copy and storing it safely
- Secure Your WiFi Router – set a strong passphrase (at least 12 characters long) for your Wi-Fi network. Keep it positive and easy to remember like “Ilovecountrymusic!”
- Personal Information Is Like Money. Value It. Protect It. – information about you, such as your purchase history or location, has value – just like money. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it’s collected through devices, apps, and Websites
- The connected devices and appliances in your home run on the data about you. Be mindful of how your info is being collected and stored.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
