How to protect yourself from cyber-attacks

Two ways you can help to keep yourself and the company you work for safe from cyber-attacks (on top of having a good antivirus solution), is to have a strong password / passphrase and to make sure you know the scams that are happening or always be wary of emails that you are not expecting.

Arming yourself with the know-how to avoid risky behaviours can make a substantial impact on your employer’s ability to reduce the risk to their business associated with email.

Strong passwords

Having a strong password / passphrase is a great way to keep your personal information private. Here are some quick tips for a strong password:

• Make sure your password is at least 15 characters’ long.
• Use a unique phrase instead of just one word.
• Use a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and other characters – it only has to make sense to you.
• Always use a different password for each account.
• Don’t choose a password with personal information – this can be easily guessed.
• AND change your passwords regularly

Keep up to date with current scams and ALWAYS be wary of ‘unbelievable’ offers

Always be suspicious of anything out of the ordinary, even if it’s just a stranger or business that have sent you an email with a link. If you are concerned, delete it or call your IT person.

A good rule of thumb is that if an email is real and is super important and you have deleted, whoever sent it will be in touch again, so don’t be afraid to delete it if you are worried.

Here are a few extra tips to help protect yourself online.

• Never open attachments or click on links in email messages from unknown senders.
• Change passwords often and use best practices for creating strong passwords.
• Never share passwords with anyone, including co-workers.
• Try to send as little sensitive information as possible via email, and send sensitive information only to recipients who require it.
• Use spam filters and anti-virus software.
• When working remotely or on a personal device, use VPN software to access corporate email.
• Avoid accessing company email from public Wi-Fi connections.

Because technology and social sharing is such a huge part of our daily lives these days, it is very important to be aware of how vulnerable you may be when surfing the Internet. By applying some of these tips to your online accounts, you will drastically improve your online safety.

If you have any queries about your online safety, contact your IT team.