Risk & Business Magazine Hardenbergh Insurance Group Magazine Winter 2018 | Page 30

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS October Is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month W e all (should) change batteries in smoke detectors during daylight saving time (arriving soon). This biannual reminder has a cousin in the digital world. October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a good time to see if we’ve protected our digital world from mischief and crime. We see daily examples with media stories about stolen identity, cyberbullying, stolen credit cards, and hacking attacks. The first rule of cybersecurity is simple: It starts with you. Here are a few easy, inexpensive steps to follow: Basic Protection. This is inexpensive and mandatory. Invest in a solid firewall and a well-known anti-virus protection software. Test both to ensure they are working. This is Rule 101. Back It Up and Move It. Everyone needs a backup, but experts will urge you to have two. The first should be online and automatic. The second should be offline—a hard copy—and move it away from your home or the office. Fire, theft, flood—any of these could ruin your backup. There’s another reason for an off-site backup. If you become a victim of ransomware that encrypts your data, the online networking data becomes nothing more than zeros and ones. The backup doesn’t really “know” what it’s backing up. This can become a major issue even if it happens for only a day or two. And now you have a real problem. But with an off-site backup, unconnected to your computer, the encrypted ransomware can’t overwrite your backup data. Off-site, out of sight, peace of mind. Today, you can do this with a flash drive. The Password. For the millionth time: Don’t pick obvious words, and refrain from using the same password for all your log-ons. Consider a password that combines letters, numbers, and symbols. And please, use two-factor authentication when it is available. The Flash Drive Rule. Be careful when using someone’s flash drive. Scan it to ensure that it’s virus free. AT PCS, WE HAVE ONE GOAL: We Strive to Be the Most Helpful IT Company in the World. Hotspots. Be leery of public Wi-Fi. Remember, most smartphones will act as your own, secure, and personal connection to the Internet. When you connect to public Wi-Fi, it may not be safe. The Hard Drive. Encrypt it. All recent operating systems offer default encryption systems. And unlike those in the past, these should not slow down your computer. If you’re computer gets stolen—especially if it is “the office”—you’ll want to keep thieves from tampering with your data. Cyber Insurance. Cyber insurance protects you against business liability caused by a breach that might affect your clients or customers. This type of coverage might not be covered by your general liability policy. 877.596.4446 www.helpmepcs.com 30 Anthony Mongeluzo is the CEO and President of Moorestown, New Jersey-based PCS. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @PCS_AnthonyM. BY: ANTHONY MONGELUZO, CEO AND PRESIDENT PCS