12 Tech Tips to Turn into Tech Habits

Did you know? October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

Team CTS has gathered a list of our favorite tech tips to help keep your information safe, in and out of the office! Check out these 12 tips that professionals actively do to keep themselves and their family members safe from cybercriminals.

1. Secure your home network:
   • Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you’re safe from hackers. Installing antivirus software and firewalls on your personal devices will help keep your home network safe.
   • Pro-Tip! Once a month, perform a hard reset on your router by simply unplugging it for 5 minutes and then plugging it back in. This prevents any unwanted devices and potentially any unwanted users from continuing to explore your network.
2. Store information on the cloud, not your computer:
   • This allows you to share documents and other information with colleagues safely and easily. The cloud also allows you to access your needed documents if your computer is unavailable or you’re working out of town. Plus, storing your information in the cloud allows you to instantly backup important data.
3. Create a strong password: 
   • There are two ways to create a strong password. 1) Choose three random words that have zero correlation. This has been proven to secure various online accounts. For example: 0atmealLoveMirror? 2) Have your password tell a story. For example, if you want to say, “I went to Disney when I was three!” Try this: IwtDwIw3!
4. Saving your passwords: 
   • Best IT practices emphasize using a completely different password for every login. However, we understand this may not be the easiest task. Thankfully, there’s a solution! By using a password management tool, you can create a different password for each login you encounter. A password management tool can also allow you to safely send usernames and passwords to family members or colleagues without them ever seeing your credentials.
5. Use Two-Factor Authentication:
   • Did you know Two-Factor Authentication blocks 99.9% of automated attacks? Most social media platforms and email hosts, such as Microsoft, offer Two-Factor Authentication before signing up for their services. Two-Factor Authentication can easily be accessed under most security settings.
6. You’re never too small of a target:
   • Hacking is like networking in many ways. However, the biggest similarity comes from the phrase “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know!” Hackers do not simply hack for fun. They create victims out of individuals who have poor security but high-quality connections. Those connections could be with a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who your Aunt happens to hang out with every weekend. Protect your friends and family by securing your accounts.
7. Vishing, Phishing, and Smishing:
   • Hackers actively reach out to you daily via phone calls, emails, and SMS text messages.

     a. For phone calls, this is called vishing—a hacker could call you or leave a voice message and “represent” a reputable company to induce individuals to reveal personal information such as bank details and credit card numbers.

     b. Phishing is like vishing but instead conducted via email. In fact, phishing successfully impacts 74% of organizations in the United States. This is 14% higher than last year’s average. One way to prevent being hacked by a phishing email is to not click on any links attached to an email from someone you don’t know.

     c. Lastly, smishing. Smishing is conducted through SMS text messages and its purpose is to retrieve personal information just like vishing and phishing. Did you know? In 2020, smishing increased to 300% in the third quarter alone compared to the second quarter of 2020.

8. Secure your mobile device:
   • Most smart phones are just a smaller scale computer. You can search the web, save contacts, share pictures, and of course, get hacked. If you’re actively using your phone for work and sharing sensitive information, we recommend investing in a VPN or virus protection for your smart phone. Always remember to treat your phone the same way you would treat your computer!

9. Not all hackers are bad:

   • The term “hacker” carries a negative connotation. However, not all hackers are bad! There are many different types of hackers, including:

     a. Black Hat (Malicious hackers)

     b. White Hat (Ethical hackers)

     c. Grey Hat (Not malicious, but not always ethical)

     d. Green Hat (New, unskilled hacker)

     e. Blue Hat (Vengeful hacker)

     f. Red Hat (Vigilante hacker)

10. Lock your computer:
    • When it’s time to head back to the office, our “home-office-ways” may need to be tidied up! A prime example is not locking your computer when you walk away from your desk. While at home, you probably got into the habit of walking away to use the restroom and not worrying about your dog stealing customer’s social security information. At the office, that may be different. Simply locking your computer screen whenever you walk away will reduce any internal attacks at the office. Not sure how to lock your computer? Each device can vary, so we recommend asking Google!
11. Cybersecurity insurance:
    • There’s insurance for everything—your car, house, computers, eyeglasses, and even pets! But have you ever considered cybersecurity insurance? With cyberattacks such as ransomware on the rise by 158% in North America alone, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Cybersecurity insurance is designed to mitigate losses from a variety of cyber incidents, including data breaches, business interruptions, and network damage.
12. Cyber trend or cyber scam?
    • Social media platforms are a great way to share pictures and update family members on what’s happening in your daily life, but with good can come with some evil. This time, we’re not talking about your Facebook account getting hacked. Instead, be on the lookout for a cyber trend or a cyber scam. A prime example of a cyber scam is the traditional back to school photos. this is where kids will hold up a sign that has their child’s name, age, school, teacher’s name, and more. With 59% of parents using their kid’s personal information as part of their passwords, this can easily be detected by hackers and scammers to hack your personal life. Don’t let this stop you from sharing a meaningful post. Keep your information private by blurring or simply not including specific information in your posts. Remember: once something is posted on the internet, it’s there forever!