Cybersecurity in times of COVID

We are living during a viral epidemic yet COVID-19 isn’t the only virus of which we should be afraid. We can protect ourselves from COVID-19 by washing our hands, covering our mouths and keeping ourselves socially distanced, but how do we protect ourselves from a computer virus? Lucky for me A.J. Boggs security team is amazing and is always giving us the necessary tools to reduce human error, which by the way, is the main avenue some cyber thieves use to breach an organization.

So, what to do to keep up with the best practices?  I am sure IT security teams around the world are trying to implement the best solutions on their eyes and protect your organization’s data from being infiltrated. However, the one thing they are powerless over is YOUR ACTIONS! Therefore, below are a few special tips I have learned from our cyber security specialists.

Use a Passphrase

The first way to protect your company’s data is to use a passphrase instead of a complex password on your computer. Research shows that 56% of people know their passwords are not secure but using complex passwords are harder to remember. By using something like: “great-day-23!”, you can achieve an excellent way to protect your logins.

Another good practice is to use a password manager, such as KeePass or Bitwarden, to help you easily use different complex passphrases for every application. You would only need one master passphrase to access the manager which would securely store all your other passphrases.

In addition to using a passphrase, some companies use two-factor authentications. The two-factor method of verification often sends a passcode to their phone or a verified email, which the employee must use in addition to their passphrase in order to gain access to their company’s data.

Keep Software Up to date

When your IT department requests you to upgrade your software, please do ASAP. Do not ignore the prompts to carry out security updates. It has been reported that one company’s information was subjected to ransomware due to an employee’s negligence to update their security patch.

Limit Use in Public Places

A final way to protect your company’s data is to limit computer usage in public places. Coffee shops and other public places are convenient places to work but should not be used if possible when looking at your company’s information or private/confidential information. Coffee shops and other spots with open networks can provide easy opportunities for cybercriminals to intercept or interfere with your data. Thus, cybersecurity teams highly recommend using only secure WIFI networks that require a password for access and always use a company VPN if available.

 Be Vigilant

 In addition to your technological security team, you stand on the line of defense against these threats. Be vigilant and alert to the dangers that lie in wait to destroy the virtual wall of protection that stands between you and your organization’s data/information.

What are some ways you keep your data secure?

 References: Mindtools.com & A.J. Boggs & Company Security Operations Center