You can stay ahead with these safety tips:

1. Share your e-mail address with trusted sources only.
Only those to whom you know personally should have your personal e-mail address. DO NOT post your email on web sites, forums, or in chat rooms. Otherwise, you run the risk of inviting spam into your inbox. If you have to use an email to subscribe to a newsletter or website and receive a confirmation email, consider using an address that is not linked to any of your personal information. For example: sample@gmail.com

2. Watch out for phishing scams.
Phishing scams use fraudulent e-mails and fake websites that pose as legitimate businesses in an attempt to retrieve your login and personal information. To be safe, if you receive an email prompting you to login to a site, first check and see if that website is legitimate. You can always call the business just to make sure that the email is coming from them.

3. Be careful opening attachments
Attachments coming from unknown sources are the most likely sources of computer viruses. If you do choose to download attachments, make sure that your security software is enabled and pay attention to any warning messages you receive.

4. Do not Reply to Spam Messages
If you do not recognize the sender, do not reply to messages. Even responding to unsubscribe could set you up for more spam.

5. Create Strong Passwords
Having your pet dog’s name as your password is no longer the security standard for protecting your personal information. Great passphrases are long alphanumeric chains with special characters.

6. Security Software
It is vitally important to have the most up-to-date security software to protect from viruses, worms, Trojans, Cryptolocker and other malicious software. Your security software should also include firewalls, which monitor your internet connection and keep unwanted traffic outside.

7. Backup Your Email.
Depending on your industry, your email may contain legally-binding contracts, major financial decisions, and professional communication. Just as you would have a hardcopy of important business documents, it’s also important to regularly back up your email and have records if your email client crashes and loses data.

8. You haven’t won the lottery
Scammers will use any subject line to get your attention so that you open an email. If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. If it helps, you most likely do not have an unclaimed inheritance, there is no Nigerian Monarch, or other person promising you loads of cash, that requires your bank information immediately, and you haven’t won a free Ipad.

9. Encrypt your Wi-Fi network and email when possible
It is important to encrypt your wireless connection between your computer and the wireless router. This is one of the most vulnerable information sources and it is best to use the WPA2 encryption standard. This encryption will make it very difficult for any hacker to break. However, if your connection is compromised and a hacker does have access to your information, the next step is to encrypt your email. Email encryption ranges from the very expensive to PGP, the most common email encryption standard. Regardless, by using encryption, the hacker will not be able to understand what your emails say.

These email best practices are the first step in protecting your data. However, with cyber security threats growing daily, it is important to take as many safeguards as possible. Even the best security can be circumvented by a determined hacker. Our comprehensive suite of security software and remote monitoring ensure constant vigilance against cybercrime and theft. Take a look at how our security options can provide the next generation solutions for your business.

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For as long a crime has existed, so have social engineers, or people who use tricks and scams to force other people to volunteer sensitive information. There are several ways to use social engineering to acquire valuable information like account information, financials, and other sensitive data.

As more of the world becomes digital, criminals are turning to social engineering to trick people into trusting them. People tend to trust others too easily – and attackers take advantage of this, creating baiting scenarios, fake company responses, and many others.

Most often, messages are sent to users in the form of an email that might contain a link to a virus or malware; once the link is opened a virus will download and infect your computer.

Another popular example is the “confidential information regarding your account”. This may come in the form of fake company messages that appear to be responses to your claims, but are followed up by a request for login details. Victims erroneously believe that they are being helped, when really, they are supplying the keys of their account to their attackers.

There are several ways people can avoid becoming victims: first, make sure never to open spam email, and double-check all ‘official’ emails from vendors that you do business with to make sure the emails are legitimate.

The same principle applies to links. Confirm the destination of any link before clicking on it. Sites commonly use shortened links, but scammers will implant a malicious redirect in the link, so be careful.

Legitimate financial institutions will never request your password, bank information, social security, or other private details in an email. Scammers will attempt to redirect you to a new page to dupe you into entering this information. If the address doesn’t have the letter ‘s’ after ‘http’, it’s likely a scam.

Last but not least, check that all your devices are protected by the most recent antivirus software. While the strength of social engineering lies in the fact that it’s people-driven rather than technology-driven, antivirus software detects and prevent requests from known cyber criminals.

For organizations that want enhanced cybersecurity, the best option is to opt for 24/7 security monitoring. There is no safeguard like having an around-the-clock IT team working on your behalf. Get in touch with us today if you need IT services for your business. We offer remote and on-site IT services, managed IT services, and more. Call 800.698.3594

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