5 Ways to Up Your Security Game


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It was a cold, rainy Saturday morning, perfect for a cup of coffee and catching up on The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. As I relaxed in my favorite sweatpants on the couch, I received a call from my bank stating that someone in Miami, Florida had attempted to make several lofty purchases with my debit card. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; I have always diligently updated my passwords every few months or so and made sure to put all important documents and cards in an RFID-safe folder. It turns out that a few weeks back when I purchased some concert tickets (humble brag), someone hacked into the ticket website and had stolen hundreds of thousands of people’s card information, which lead to fraud detection phone calls galore.

Now you may be asking yourself, “Um, why do I care about this?” Well, it’s estimated that over 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020, which means infinite amounts of information will be up for grabs for any hacker with some time on their hands. In fact, according to cybersecurity expert Tim Tobiassen, over 100,000 devices and accounts are hacked every minute. The need for advanced protection is becoming extremely prevalent, because nothing is spookier than having your information stolen.

So, if you’re looking for some great resources that can help you understand more about cybersecurity, what options are available for you and your company, and how you can keep your data as safe as possible, this article is for you. And if you’re still unsure what cybersecurity actually is, click here. Just be sure to clear your cookies afterward.


 

1. Get some training

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Photo information: Michael Scott - "I understand nothing." Photo courtesy of rebloggy.com

KnowBe4 has great materials for understanding basic cybersecurity issues and how to handle them. They even offer comprehensive and affordable training for small groups and businesses.  MnCCC offers discount pricing for users, which can be accessed here. You can learn more about these options by visiting www.KnowBe4.com, or by clicking here

2. Collaborate

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Photo information: Michael Scott - "Entourage." Photo courtesy of theofficequotes.com

MnCCC offers training sessions for user groups all the time, so it’s no surprise that when one becomes available for cybersecurity, we had to make it available. Join us on October 30, 2019 for a spooky workshop presented by our ISSG user group! You can sign up on our RSVP website and get more information here.

3. Monitor your social media accounts

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Photo information: Dwight Schrute - "Identity theft is not a joke, Jim!" Photo courtesy of tumblr.com

It’s important to routinely check the security of both the accounts you use and those you interact with. Social media platforms are a hacker’s hunting ground because they can easily access your personal information and location, while posing predatory threats as well. Most mainstream platforms have security settings that you can use to personalize your accounts’ safety. For more information on hackers and social media safety, click here or here.

4. Implement new techniques

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Photo information: Michael Scott - "I knew exactly what to do, but in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do." Photo courtesy of pinterest.com

New opportunities to increase security have been popping up everywhere lately. You may even be using biometric identification anytime you go to unlock your phone (that is, using your fingerprint or facial recognition). This type of identification, along with a few others, can be incredibly helpful to secure confidential information and make sure only those who are authorized have access.  To learn about the available options and even take an in-depth training course on how to implement them for yourself and the workplace, click here.

5. Don't be too careful

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Photo information: Creed Bratton - "I stopped caring a long time ago." Photo courtesy of me.me

Several resources exist to help you identify if your information has been compromised in any way. Most credit and debit card issuers have free resources to check credit information and monitor your accounts, so make sure to see what’s available to you. Additionally, social media platforms, like Facebook, are now offering users lists of information they have been caching. While this could discourage you, let it motivate you to update those privacy settings. (Seriously, I do not want strangers to see pictures of me in Mexico 3 years ago). It may also be helpful for you to use a website like HaveIBeenPwned.com to see who has gotten ahold of your email and some associated information. There are plenty of resources that are easily accessible, so please take the time to check them out!

 


 

After this, I’m sure you’re probably a little scared (I mean, it is almost Halloween), but the good news is that as hackers advance, so does the technology to combat them! A few basic things to keep in mind are to never share or reuse passwords, regularly check up on your security and update the software on your devices, and pay attention to security and identification settings that may need to be upgraded.

 

All videos courtesy of LinkedIn Learning and associated producers. PDF documents courtesty of KnowBe4 and MnCCC.

Tags: MnCCC Spotlight(1) , News(1)

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