Cybersecurity at Home
By: Tim Sutherburg, Manager of Information Security at Dead River Company
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and our Manager of Information Security at Dead River Company, Tim Sutherburg, is sharing a few tips on how to protect yourself online.
1. Protect your computer. An anti-virus protection software will protect your computer from malware. Be sure to keep it up to date. If you don’t already have this or are in the market for a new one, view the best anti-virus protection software of 2018.
2. Back up your files. Keep a copy of your files on an external hard drive or cloud-based storage site. This way, if your computer is attacked by malware, you’ll still have access to your information such as important documents, photos, music, etc. It’s important to remember to do this regularly, about once a week, so your back-up files are current.
3. Consider using two-factor authentication. This provides an extra layer of security when logging into accounts. Aside from entering your username and password, you’ll be asked to verify your identity again. This can be done through security keys or a one-time code. Many sites offer this layer of security so take advantage where you can.
4. Use secure websites. When giving personal information online, the FTC recommends “stick to sites that use encryption to protect your information as it travels from your computer to their server.” Look for “https” at the beginning of the web address to ensure the site you’re on is secure.
5. Protect your personal information. View our blog post from last year for more tips on protecting your personal information online and over the phone.
We all need to do our part to make sure that our online lives are kept safe and secure. For more information, visit the National Cyber Security Alliance’s website.
