6 Tips to Help Improve Your Cybersecurity

We all know the importance of cybersecurity these days, but the phishing attempts and other scams have gotten increasingly hard to detect.  Cell phone numbers are even being targeted where individuals are receiving text messages that appear to be coming from themselves but are fraudulent. Who has time to filter through all of these messages and e-mails?

It is getting harder and harder to decipher real messages from fake ones. We understand that this can be overwhelming and difficult to judge sometimes.

Here are 6 helpful tips to help avoid or limit the potential for harm:

1. Create strong passwords and use a password manager, if possible, along with a two-factor authentication. This will help in case your password is compromised and offer a second layer of security
2. Keep an eye out before opening an e-mail. Ask yourself who is this from? Does the e-mail match the person’s name? Are they asking for information that they typically would not ask? If in doubt, call the person to verify that it is legitimate
3. Protect your Wi-Fi connection. With a lot of people working from home these days it is especially important to use a secure network and change your passwords regularly. Do not access private/sensitive information on a public Wi-Fi network at your local fast-food restaurant!
4. Use anti-virus and anti-malware software. This will help in case your device has been infected by a would-be thief
5. Do not click on links or attachments in e-mails unless you are sure that they are legitimate
6. Remember the government, healthcare services, utility companies and others will not ask you to provide sensitive or private information over the phone (these are common techniques used by thieves)

Please keep in mind that thieves use pressure and our daily busy schedule against us. Watch for urgent messages that imply that you must act now. These thieves are often trying to “catch us” when we are paying attention the least and “just trying to get stuff done.”  It is ever important to stop and think before we act.

Thieves can also gain access to a colleague’s work account and send links or attachments that can cause harm. It is important to “stop and think” about what the person is asking and if it seems out of the ordinary or something seems off with the communication style, it is always best to call the person to see if the request is legitimate.

Want to learn more about cybersecurity? The government has provided some additional helpful information which can be found here:  inyurl.com/2xnpr4un

If you are interested in learning more about how a human resource consultant can help set your company up for success, reach out to Sage Solutions Group at 734-855-7189, or visit us at www.sagesolutionsgroup.com.

Also, you can check out our latest videos providing a quick overview of our services.

Blog Author: Steven Berti, Sage Solutions Group Assistant Director