SANS Security Awareness Tip of the Day
Unique Passwords
Aug 21, 2019
Make sure each of your accounts has a separate, unique password. Can't remember all of your passwords/passphrases? Consider using a password manager to securely store all of them for you.
Go With Passphrases
Aug 18, 2019
Passphrases are the strongest type of passwords and the easiest to remember. Simply use an entire sentence for your password, such as "What time is coffee?" By using spaces and punctuation, you create a long password that is hard to guess but easy to remember.
When Away
Aug 13, 2019
Leaving your seat? Ctrl--Alt--Delete! Make sure you lock your workstation or laptop while you are away from it. On a Mac? Try Control--Shift--Eject/Power.
Ransomware
Aug 7, 2019
Ransomware is a special type of malware. Once it infected your computer, it encrypts all of your files and demands you pay a ransome if you want your files back. Be suspicious of any emails trying to trick you into opening infected attachments or click on malicious links, common sense is your best defense. In addition. backups are often the only way you can recover from ransomware.
Shopping Online
Aug 6, 2019
When shopping online, always use your credit cards instead of a debit card. If any fraud happens, it is far easier to recover your money from a credit card transaction. Gift cards and one-time-use credit card numbers are even more secure.
Don't Trust Links Sent in Email Messages
Jul 23, 2019
A common method cyber criminals use to hack into people's computers is to send them emails with malicious links. People are tricked into opening these links because they appear to come from someone or something they know and trust. If you click on a link, you may be taken to a site that attempts to harvest your information or tries to hack into your computer. Only click on links that you were expecting. Not sure about an email? Call the person to confirm they sent it.
Smart Home Devices
Jul 16, 2019
Now adays most of us have numerous devices in our homes connect to the Internet. From thermostats and gaming consoles to baby monitors, door locks or even your car. Ensure you change the default passwords on these devices and enable automatic updating.
Back up Your Files
Jul 15, 2019
Eventually, we all have an accident or get hacked. And when we do, backups are often the only way to recover. Backups are cheap and easy; make sure you are backing up all of your personal information at home (such as family photos) on a regular basis.
Forwarding Emails
Jun 30, 2019
When you forward an email to others or copy new people to an email thread, review all the content in the entire email and make sure the information contained in it is suitable for everyone. It is very easy to forward emails to others, not realizing there is highly sensitive information in the bottom of the email that people should not have access to.
Social Media Postings
Jun 24, 2019
Be careful: the more information you post online about yourself, the easier it is for a cyber attacker to target you and create custom attacks against you or your organization.
CEO Fraud
Jun 17, 2019
CEO Fraud / BEC is a type of targeted attack. It commonly involves a cyber criminally pretending to be your boss, then tricking or fooling you into sending the criminal highly sensitive information or initiating a wire transfer. Be highly suspicious of any emails demanding immediate action and/or asking you to bypass any security procedures.
Bluetooth
Jun 16, 2019
Turn off Bluetooth if you are not using it on your computer or device. Not only does this make it more secure, but it also saves battery life.
Securely Disposing Mobile Devices
Jun 13, 2019
Do you plan on giving away or selling one of your older mobile devices? Make sure you wipe or reset your device before disposing of it. If you don't, the next person who owns it will have access to all of your accounts and personal information.
Never Try to Fix the Problem When Hacked
Jun 5, 2019
Eventually, we all get hacked. The bad guys are very persistent and we can all make a mistake. If you suspect you have been hacked never try to fix the situation, instead report it right away. If you try to fix the situation, such as paying an online ransom or deleting the infected files, not only could you stil be hacked but you are most likely causing far more harm than good.
Keeping Passwords Simple
May 19, 2019
We know at times this whole password thing sounds really complicated. Wouldn't be great if there was a brain dead way you could keep passwords simple and secure at the same time? Well, it's not nearly as hard as you think. Here are three tips to keeping passwords super simple while keeping your accounts super secure.
Security Technology Cannot Stop All Attacks
May 16, 2019
Technology alone cannot protect you. Bad guys are constantly developing new ways to get past firewalls, anti-virus and filters. You are the best defense against any attacker.
Personalized Scams
May 15, 2019
Cyber criminals now have a wealth of information on almost all of us. With so many hacked organizations now a days, cyber criminals simply purchase databases with personal information on millions of people, then use that information to customize their attacks, making them far more realistic. Just because an urgent email has your home address, phone number or birth date in it does not mean it is legitimate.
Search Yourself Online
May 14, 2019
Ever wonder just how much information is publicly available about you? Ever wonder how cyber criminals harvest information and customize attacks for their victims. The technique is called Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and it is far simpler and more powerful than you think.
Mobile Apps
May 7, 2019
Only install mobile apps from trusted places, and always double-check the privacy settings to ensure you are not giving away too much information.
Two-Step Verification
May 6, 2019
Two-step verification is one of the best steps you can take to secure any account. Two-step verification is when you require both a password and code sent to or generated by your mobile device. Examples of services that support two-step verification include Gmail, Dropbox and Twitter.
