Welcome to the Phoenix College series kickoff in celebration of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Internet-based devices are present in every aspect of our lives: at home, school, work, and on the go. Constant connection provides opportunities for innovation and modernization, but also presents opportunities for potential cybersecurity threats that can compromise your most important personal information. By understanding your devices and the applications that you use every day you can take steps to keep your information safe and secure.
Cybersecurity starts with YOU and is everyone’s responsibility. Being safe online isn’t so different from being safe in the physical world. Five quick tips to better protect yourself online are to:
- Secure your networks.Wireless routers are a common way for cybercriminals to access online devices. Make sure that your home Wi-Fi is adequately protected. Public Wi-Fi is an untrusted network and should be avoided when privacy or security is required, like when accessing your bank account, making a purchase online, or paying a bill.
- Stay up to date.
Keep software updated to the latest versions and set security software to run regular scans.
- If You Connect It, Protect It.
One proven defense against intrusion is to update to the latest virus protection software.
- Shake Up Your Password Protocol.
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, you should consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible. Get creative and customize your standard password for different sites. By using different passwords for each site, you can prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to other accounts and protect you in the event of a breach. Password managers like KeePass and LastPass are free and allow you to generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts.
- Double your login protection.
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person who has access to your account is you.
Please join us each week in October for additional Cyber Security tips!