9 Most Important Cyber Security Tips

Teleworking during the Coronavirus outbreak? While working from home can help slow the spread of the virus, it brings new challenges: juggling work while kids are home from school; learning new software and conferencing programs; and managing paper files at home. As you’re getting your work-at-home systems set up, here are some tips for protecting your devices and personal information.

The internet has become a space riddled with malicious links of trojans, and viruses. Data breaches are becoming more frequent, and unsuspecting users are more vulnerable than ever before. 

1. Start with cybersecurity basics. Keep your security software up to date. Use passwords on all your devices and apps. Make sure the passwords are long, strong and unique: at least 12 characters that are a mix of numbers, symbols and capital and lowercase letters.

2. Connect Only to Protected Private WiFi Networks or (VPN) Virtual Private Networks

Always use private, password-protected WiFi networks to work from home. Security experts consider signing in to sensitive office networks with public WiFi or unsecured network connections akin to “swimming in shark-infested waters”—it’s only a matter of time before you get bit. Experts recommend consulting a trusted IT provider about setting up a VPN that can minimize the risk to devices and data.

3. Dispose of sensitive data securely. Don’t just throw it in the trash or recycling bin. Shred it. Paperwork you no longer need can be treasure to identity thieves if it includes personal information about customers or employees.

4. Unusual phrasings in subject lines/body, misspellings, or bad grammar

Although corona-virus-related phishing schemes are currently at an all-time high, the good news is that they aren’t much different from past attempts. Paying extra attention to message details—capitalization, punctuation, paragraph structure, sloppy design/formatting, or any language that seems out of the norm, makes detecting fake ones easier.

5. Don’t download unfamiliar attachments or click on unfamiliar links

In the age of remote work, collaborative OneDrive, Google Docs, or general Cloud sharing is a common way to redirect others to a malicious website. If you aren’t expecting a specific file from a specific sender, don’t open any attachments in an unknown message. This applies to links as well. To check if a link is safe, hover your mouse over the link to confirm the target URL matches what’s written (on a desktop or laptop). For extra precaution, type out the website to avoid being unknowingly redirected.

6. Activate multi-factor authentication (MFA) on every account you can

Many phishing schemes try to get you to re-enter your password for common apps or social media accounts—all in hopes that hackers can steal your password. Using multi-factor authentication can mitigate this since MFA requires something you know (your password) with something you have (a unique code delivered via text message or email).

7. Confirm the sender's email address

It’s easy for a hacker to mimic someone’s display or contact name—always double check to confirm what shows up with the actual email address the message was sent from to make sure the sender is who he or she is claiming to be.

8. Do not respond to email correspondence from any financial institution

This goes for any communications via email or phone. You will not be prompted to sign into your account or receive a call from your financial institution asking for your PIN or other personal information. In fact, most updates are sent with a 'do-not reply' email handle. Most official communications from financial firms are usually sent via snail mail. To ensure you are in contact with an actual representative of the firm, call the number on the back of your card or the phone number provided on your financial statements.

9. Follow your employer’s security practices. Your home is now an extension of your office. So, follow the protocols that your employer has implemented.

Employees Work From Home [COVID-19]

With the recent developments in COVID-19, many organizations are transitioning to a work-from-home model, but with no fool-proof way of tracking employees' work, they may experience a loss in productivity. Additional concerns related to data movement have put privacy and security at risk since most home users' networks are not secure. That's what CyberSecOp specializes in - employee tracking in distributed environments. 

• User Activity Monitoring to prevent insider threats

• User Behavioral Analytics monitors productivity and use results for process optimization with the ultimate goal to increase productivity and reduce or eliminate insider threats

• CyberSecOp's DLP is effective in protecting against data breaches, data leaks, and IP theft

 
You can have an effective remote workforce and still be in control with the ability to see user activity, live screen monitoring to automated alerts/scheduling, and more. See CyberSecOp.com for a trial.
CyberSecOp caters to small businesses, enterprises, government organizations, and everything in between. We provide cloud and on-premise deployments available at your request.

What is a Data Breach?

A data breach is the unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or theft of sensitive, confidential, or personal information. Data breaches can occur when cybercriminals gain access to a system or database and steal or expose the information stored there. They can also occur when information is accidentally or improperly disclosed by an individual or organization.

Data breaches can have serious consequences, including financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. They can also have serious impacts on individuals whose information is compromised, including identity theft and other forms of fraud.

There are several ways that data breaches can occur, including through cyber attacks, such as hacking and ransomware, and through physical means, such as the loss or theft of a device containing sensitive information. To prevent data breaches, it is important for individuals and organizations to implement strong security measures, such as using strong passwords, regularly updating software and operating systems, and implementing controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.

data breach laws

There are various laws that protect against data breaches and provide consequences for individuals and organizations that fail to protect sensitive information. These laws vary by jurisdiction, but some common examples include:

1. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a data protection law that applies to organizations in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). It requires organizations to protect personal data and to report certain types of data breaches to authorities and individuals affected by the breach.

2. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a law that applies to the healthcare industry in the United States. It requires organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) to implement safeguards to protect the privacy and security of PHI.

3. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards that apply to organizations that handle payment card information. It requires organizations to implement measures to protect against data breaches and to report certain types of data breaches to authorities and card issuers.

In addition to these laws, many countries have their own data protection laws that apply to the collection, use, and storage of personal information. It is important for organizations to be aware of and comply with these laws to protect against data breaches and the potential consequences of such breaches.

Prevent Data Breach

There are several steps that individuals and organizations can take to prevent data breaches and protect sensitive information:

1. Use strong, unique passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts and devices, and regularly update them. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

2. Enable two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication, which requires the use of a second form of authentication in addition to a password, for all accounts and devices.

3. Keep software and operating systems up to date: Regularly update software and operating systems to ensure that the latest security patches are installed.

4. Use a firewall: Use a firewall to block incoming connections from known malicious sources.

5. Use antivirus software: Use antivirus software to identify and block malware, including ransomware.

6. Implement access controls: Implement controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as by requiring users to authenticate before accessing certain data or systems.

7. Regularly back up data: Regularly back up data and store it in a secure location to minimize the impact of a data breach.

8. Train employees: Train employees on the importance of data security and best practices for protecting sensitive information.

By implementing these measures, individuals and organizations can significantly reduce their risk of suffering a data breach and the potential consequences of such a breach.