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  • Make sure you have a strong anti-virus and malware program and set your home devices to auto-update whenever possible. Keeping your anti-virus software up to date is the first line of defense against cyberattacks.

 

  • Along the same lines as above, keep your programs and apps up to date as well. Most, if not all, programs that offer updates include security measures. Sometimes it’s to patch a bug or exploit that has been recently found.

 

  • Back up your data. Whether you choose to use a cloud storage system or hard discs, backing up your data will save you a lot of heart-ache if your device is compromised and you are forced to do a reset back to factory settings.

 

  • Set a PIN, a lock pattern, facial recognition, or finger print identification on ALL your devices especially when you will be traveling. Losing a device is difficult enough without the concern of someone gaining access to the information stored on it.

 

  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that only the person who should have access gets to access your accounts. You can use it on a variety of accounts including social media, banking, email, and many others. If the website offers it, utilize MFA.

 

And while you’re away;

 

  • Turn off auto-connecting. You don’t always know when your device is trying to find an open wi-fi signal, and while you’re traveling it’s very probable that you’re connecting to networks you wouldn’t choose to if you were aware. An open connection to an untrusted network is another path for cyber criminals to access your data.

 

  • If you do have to use an unknown network remember to practice good Internet hygiene by avoiding activities such as banking that require passwords or account information.

 

  • Finally, guard your mobile devices. In any situation keeping your device secure and in a safe place or on your person is a good idea. When traveling, where access to your bank may be limited, it is vital. Leaving your device unattended can result in theft and with the stressful nature of travel you might not even realize until long after the fact.

 

Follow the link below for additional travel tips and keep your eyes here for future articles as we continue with Cyber Security Awareness Month.

FTC-Travel Tips

 

  • Use a long password, preferably the longest password allowed by the site or program you are using. Using a phrase, song lyrics, or the title of a favorite book or movie can help you remember long passwords. 

 

  • Use special characters, numerals, and punctuation in your passwords. You can even replace letters with special characters, for example: @nimal, Ca$h, Fuf!ll, etc. 

 

  • Don’t make passwords easy to guess. Avoid using common words or phrases in your passwords. Get creative, pull obscure words from your hobbies and likes, use phonetic spelling such as “PH” instead of “F”, or replace a “C” with a “K”. Purposefully misspell words like “Enjin” or “Sissors”. Keep your passwords private. Don’t re-use passwords. Unique account, unique password. Every time you share or re-use a password it chips away at your security by opening up more avenues in which it can be stolen or misused.

 

  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever available. First Commercial Bank uses an MFA system when logging in to your online banking. This is a way of ensuring that only the authorized user is accessing your account information. Not all systems have an MFA option, but many do and many have it as a default setting. Use it when available.

 

  • You can also sign up with a password managing program. These programs can create and store your unique passwords behind one master password, allowing you to have a more diverse range of passwords without the risk of writing them down or possibly forgetting them.

 

Follow the link below for more information about securing your electronic devices, and stay tuned for more articles about Cyber Security.

 FTC-Computer Security