In part one and part two of this blog series, we shared fourteen cybersecurity tips to prepare your organization for 2021. This blog post includes seven final tips to keep your organization safe in 2021.
Cyber Tip 15: Avoid public Wi-Fi! When at the airport, hotel, coffee shop, or other public space, using free Wi-Fi opens you up to many possible threats.
If possible, try not to connect at all, but if you need to, ask and understand the exact SSID (the wireless network name) of the official public Wi-Fi network at your location and keep your connection time short. Also, do not allow auto-connections to public Wi-Fi. Hackers can load malware, steal your passwords and PINs, or even take remote control of your contacts and camera.
Cyber Tip 16: When it comes to data breaches, believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.
When a data breach gets announced to the public, very often details are still being investigated by the organization announcing the breach and their forensic teams. Even if you are told you are not affected by a breach of a site you use or visit, change your passphrase immediately and be suspicious of any unusual activity on your accounts. Cyber criminals can use data stolen to achieve goals like various forms of extortion and other economic crimes.
Cyber Tip 17: Update those browsers! Browsers should all have secure design, secure features, and be updated regularly.
Unfortunately, some browsers are more secure than others. At minimum, make sure you are using the most up-to-date version of your browser and any associated plug-ins. If you can’t update your browser due to compatibility issues, have two browsers. Consider the one you can update your “privacy” browser for any activity that involves sensitive data and choose that browser carefully based on its security attributes.
Cyber Tip 18: Smartphones beware: When was the last time you checked the URL of the site you were visiting on your smartphone?
Hackers are getting smarter by embedding malware into sites that look authentic. Ensure your banking and financial sites are real before divulging your username and password. Better yet, try banking on a laptop, which houses anti-virus and malware features for your protection.
Cyber Tip 19: Prying eyes are everywhere. Keep your desk, work area, or office free of “useful information” clutter.
Your notes, files, and documentation could provide a passerby information on medical, financial, and client information—which leads to privacy issues and, ultimately, fines and penalties.
Cyber Tip 20: Sometimes it’s good NOT to share. Never give more information out than you should.
Ensure the person on the other end of the line is who they say they are, perhaps by having them confirm a specific item or action. Provide as minimal information as possible for authentication, as giving them more data could lead to a possible compromise.
Cyber Tip 21: Ever hear of a link verifier? Two link verifiers you can try are https://urlvoid.com and https://sitecheck.sucuri.net
Link verifiers are free, web-based tools that analyze domain names and URLs to tell you if a site is blacklisted or not. Now remember: Never automatically click on a solicitation or request to log into anything. Become a proactive compromise preventer!
Please take the information about cyber-attacks included at the beginning of this white paper very seriously, follow the cyber tips, and get help wherever necessary. The purveyors of these attacks are criminals, pure and simple, and they have no remorse for their actions. If you need help, ConvergeOne is here for you. With our help, you can avoid becoming tomorrow’s headline. We can assist with the following:
- Health Checks
- Training
- Incident Response Planning, Testing and Services (7x24, 365 days)
- Licensing
Please contact us via your ConvergeOne National Account Manager or email jvigorito@convergeone.com and cripkey@convergeone.com (send to both simultaneously).
Further, the ConvergeOne Ransomware Readiness Workshop focuses on your organization’s readiness to withstand a ransomware attack. During this workshop, ConvergeOne experts will analyze your environment in areas like user awareness training, network security and segmentation, testing and monitoring, incident response plans, and disaster recovery. Schedule your complimentary Ransomware Readiness Workshop today.
Topics: Security, Cyber Security, Cyber Awareness, Ransomware
