Protect Yourself
From Online Scammers
Here at Availa Bank, we take cybersecurity seriously. We know that it can feel nearly impossible to stay safe online, especially when it seems like new scams are discovered every single day. Don’t worry, we can help!
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which gives you a great opportunity to reflect on your internet safety and make the changes needed to keep your personal information private. We can all do our part to #BeCyberSmart. The more cautious you are online, the safer you will be. Keep reading for specific tips you can follow the next time you get online.
What Are Some Basic Steps to Protect Myself Online?
You don’t have to go off the grid to protect yourself from scammers. Here are some quick and easy ways to make sure you stay safe.
Make unique and long passwords that are easy to remember.
The longer you make your password, the stronger it will be. It is recommended that your password be at least 12 characters long, including uppercase, lowercase, and special characters. Most websites only require 6-8 characters minimum, but that may leave you more vulnerable to hackers. However, even if your password is 12 characters or longer, you should still make it easy to remember so that you don’t have to rely on keeping a written list of passwords. A physical document or even a digital document can be easy for someone to find and use against you.
Use 2-Factor Authentication (also known as Multi-Factor Authentication)
The more roadblocks you put in a hacker’s path, the more likely they are to give up on you and pick an easier target. Whenever it’s offered, use a 2-factor authentication system for your accounts. This could be a special security code used in combination with your password, your fingerprint, or even your face.
Don’t click any links (unless you’ve verified they are safe)
Links are an incredibly easy way for scammers to gain access to your computer. If you see links in an email or online message you weren’t expecting, don’t click right away. Check out the details of the sender first. If you don’t recognize them or their message is full of typos or a sense of urgency, don’t click on the link. Mark the message as spam and block the sender to keep your devices clean and safe.
Update Your Devices
Any software you have on your phone, computer, tablet, TV, etc. should always be up to date. Any software that isn’t updated is at a high risk of infection from hackers. You can set your devices to automatically update or have them notify you when an update is available so you can choose when to complete the task.
Back Up All Devices
You wouldn’t leave your important paper documents close to an open flame, would you? At least not without making some copies and storing them in a safe location first, right? The same goes for your digital documents. Every important or confidential piece of work, whether it’s tax documents, photos, or even music should all be backed up. It’s important to follow this rule when backing things up:
- Keep at least three copies of your data
- Store 2 backup copies on different storage devices
- One of these copies should be located offsite
Don’t Assume All Security Measures Are the Same
Every time you sign up for a new account, download a new app, or get a new phone/tablet/computer, etc. make sure all the security and privacy settings are set to reflect what you’re comfortable with. It’s easy to skip reading through the privacy policy and all those other long, boring legal documents, but it’s important to make sure you know exactly what each company has access to. In the past year alone, there have been several lawsuits brought against major companies for potentially violating the privacy rights of consumers. You should make sure you double-check your security settings at least once a year to ensure you are still comfortable with your settings and what you share.
Think Before You Share
Most of you are probably on multiple social media platforms, giving you plenty of opportunities to share exciting and new things about your life. However, before you post, you should always think about who can see it because it’s important to make sure you don’t share anything that could be used against you. A great example of this would be those personal questionnaires that are created and distributed on social media that ask you for the name of your first pet, your mom’s maiden name, or even your favorite color. These may seem like harmless questions, but these can be used by hackers to gain access to your bank account and more.
You never want to publicly share where you go to school, where you work, or even when you’re on vacation because you never know who is seeing this information.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi Spots
Most of the public wireless networks and hotspots you encounter are not secure, allowing anyone access to your laptop, smartphone, or tablet while you’re in public. There’s nothing wrong with doing some work or streaming videos while you’re in public, however, it’s important to take precautions first. If you’re in a restaurant, café, or hotel for example, and would like to use the Wi-Fi, make sure you avoid logging into your key accounts, like your email, online banking, or even your online shopping accounts. Just because a website is marked secure with https://, that doesn’t mean it protects you from the dangers of a public Wi-Fi network. If you’re out and about a lot and need to use your devices, but want to feel more secure, you can consider using a VPN (virtual private network) or a personal/mobile hotspot. Remember also to never leave your devices unlocked and unattended in the presence of strangers.
If you follow these eight tips in your daily life, you’ll be well on your way to creating a more secure online experience for yourself. Now that we know the basics of online safety, let’s get into some of the terminology surrounding cybersecurity.
What is the Difference Between Ransomware, Malware, and Phishing?
As you learn more about cybersecurity, you’ll probably hear the words ransomware, malware, and phishing mentioned a lot. You may find yourself starting to get a little confused and wondering what all these words really mean.
The important thing to remember is that these terms are just three of the major ones used to discuss cyber-attacks. There are many other more detailed terms used to describe specific types of cyber-attacks that we won’t go into more detail on in this blog, however, you can find more information here.
What is Malware?
Malware is the umbrella term for a type of software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain access to a computer system it is not supposed to be allowed in. This is commonly used to steal important data while also destroying computers and computer systems.
What is an example of malware?
Malware can come in many forms, such as viruses, worms, spyware, adware, ransomware, and more. Most computers have anti-virus scanning software that can seek out some, but this does not guarantee your devices will be safe against a malware attack.
How does malware get on my devices?
There are several ways malware can find its way onto your devices, including fake websites, USB flash drives, compromised software, or fake apps. That’s why it’s so important to never click on links from people you don’t know, leave your devices unattended, or get apps from anywhere other than the designated app store for your device.
What is Ransomware?
Like malware, ransomware is a type of malicious software, however, it’s different in that it is specifically designed to block access to the computer system until a sum of money has been paid.
What is an example of ransomware?
You may have heard of several major companies that became ransomware victims, like Colonial Pipeline. While they eventually did pay the hackers $4.4 million to recover access to their information, they were required to shut down operations for a while, which resulted in a surge in gas prices, gas hoarding, and a fuel shortage. Almost 6,000 individuals were also personally affected by the ransomware attack when hackers accessed their personal information, such as birth dates, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and more.
How does ransomware get on my devices?
You’re never 100% safe from a ransomware attack, but there are plenty of steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim like Colonial Pipeline. Ransomware is most commonly established on your device through phishing emails with bad links or social engineering attacks. Social engineering is when a hacker wants to establish remote access on your computer. This can be done simply by threatening to reveal some “illegal” behavior you have been involved in, whether or not they have any evidence of it. Ransomware can be targeted at individuals or larger corporations/companies, but it is usually focused on bigger businesses that have the ability to pay large sums of money and have more personal information on file.
It’s important to remember that even if you do end up paying the ransom to a hacker, you are not guaranteed your data back. Cybercriminals are real criminals and may instead try to blackmail you for more money now that you’ve proven you can pay.
What is Phishing?
The act of phishing is to send emails pretending to be from a reputable company or organization to get you to reveal personal information about yourself, such as passwords and credit card numbers, or even to gain access into your computer to install ransomware or other malware. This is a very common tactic with online hackers, and you’ve likely already experienced a phishing attempt in the past, even if you’ve made sure to have solid security measures in place.
What is an example of phishing?
Cybercriminals are tricky, but there are some tell-tale signs you’re dealing with a hacker vs. the real company. Look for emails that claim you’ve “won” some big-ticket item, like an iPad, car, or even the lottery. If you haven’t entered a contest to win this item, don’t click on anything. Another common email tactic is to have a sense of urgency, as in “If you don’t do xyz in the next five minutes, we will lock your account.” Any legitimate organization will give you plenty of time to do something that they need you to do before taking drastic action like locking or closing out your account.
Other common phishing examples include hyperlinks and attachments that the sender claims you must click on to complete a task. The things you click on could contain a virus that will infect your device, so make sure the sender is the right one before you do. You can try hovering your mouse over the link to see what the URL is and match it to the real website. If it doesn’t match, don’t click on it. In the end, if you’re suspicious of it, just delete it. You can always find the real contact information of the company that is trying to contact you if you are worried about missing something.
What’s the Best Way to Stay Safe from Hackers?
You’ll never be 100% protected from cybercriminals. There are just too many ways they can hack into your accounts, and they grow smarter every single day. However, there are plenty of tips and tricks, like the ones we’ve given you here, that will make you a less desirable target for hackers. It’s like putting up floodlights around your home at night to deter burglars from breaking in.
So, what is the best way to stay safe from hackers? Slow down when you’re online. Always read things carefully, never put out too many personal details about yourself, and always have strong passwords. Make sure you report suspected fraud or security concerns to the correct person or organization and reach out to your local Availa banker if you have questions about fraud related to your bank accounts. We’re here to help, just give us a call today!