October is the Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM). National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched CAM in 2004 to inform individuals and organizations about the risks of being online.
ITensure gathered a few simple tips to share with everyone to better understand the risks of online connectivity and promote better security practices to minimize risks.
Devices become vulnerable to attack once connected and visible to the Internet. Today, the device could be a computer, a smartphone, a security camera, a teddy bear, or a car. The world is becoming more connected, and cybercrimes are getting easier and more accessible.
Covid-19 has moved employees and students to remote locations. More people and devices are connected to the Internet, and many are using applications like Zoom for the first time. Some were assigned devices that were secured properly by the IT department, but some are purchased by the individual. It isn’t just work, or school devices that are at risk of compromise; smart home devices are becoming less expensive and easier to install. These small intelligent devices connect to each other and/or the Internet. All the information is being captured and transmitted to the cloud for processing and storage. Roughly 15% of these devices were still using the default admin credentials that can be found online.
Following are a few tips that are easy to do to help secure computers and smart devices in homes and offices:
- Address and configure privacy and security settings in all devices:
- Keep software up to date:
- Consider the placement locations:
Change the default credentials and configure the settings to secure the device. Disable any services that aren’t in use as it can quickly become a back door.
Monitor the device for updates from the manufacturer. Install updates as soon as possible once available.
Webcams, security cameras, and devices that listen for a wake-up phrase may not be suitable for sensitive areas of the business. A compromised server could hold large amounts of personal audio that could be used by criminals for identity theft or spear-phishing research. A compromised webcam in the home could be used to publish private videos to the public Internet.
Cybersecuirty is our shared responsibility. Let’s all STOP-THINK-CONNECT.
