[The security box] Are You Cyber Smart? A Checklist

[Jared Rimer]

Are You Cyber Smart? A Checklist
The LastPass Blog   /  Rose de Fremery

<https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/10/are-you-cyber-smart-a-checklist/>

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and in honor of its kickoff, 
we’re sharing some pro tips on how you can do your part to 
#BeCyberSmart. Cybersecurity can seem overwhelming, especially now that 
we’re living so much of our lives online these days, but it doesn’t have 
to be. By following the checklist below, you can go a long way toward 
protecting yourself from a cyber attack.

Here are five concrete steps you can take to become cyber smart.


       *1. Use strong passwords*

A strong password is your first and most essential line of defense 
against a cyber attack. If you’re like most people, you need strong 
passwords more than ever now that you’re relying on the internet so much 
during the pandemic.

Set a strong, unique password on each one of your online accounts and 
update it on a regular basis. A strong password 
<https://blog.lastpass.com/2020/11/are-your-passwords-strong-enough/> is 
at least 16 characters long and includes a mix of capital and lowercase 
letters as well as numbers and symbols.

This might feel like a chore if you’re manually managing your passwords, 
especially if there are a lot of them to keep track of. A password 
manager comes in handy in just these kinds of situations, helping you 
automatically generate and easily update all of your passwords. A 
password manager can also give you the heads up when one of your 
passwords is too weak or when it has appeared in a data breach. That 
way, you can replace that password with a stronger, more effective one.

Not sure how to choose a password manager 
<https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/03/how-to-choose-a-password-manager/>? 
Doing a quick inventory of your needs, like how many devices you have 
and what kinds of devices you have, will help you figure out which one 
is right for you.


       *2. Take advantage of MFA*

A password is the most common form of authentication, but there are 
others. Each time you add another form of authentication to your tool 
belt, you improve your cyber security. These additional authentication 
methods were once reserved for businesses and other organizations with 
advanced security requirements, but they are increasingly becoming 
available to regular consumers – which is good news for anyone who wants 
to stay safe on the internet.

You may have already noticed that some of your online accounts now offer 
multi-factor authentication (MFA) techniques like biometrics, SMS 
authorization codes, push notifications, and authenticator apps. By 
taking advantage of them, you significantly reduce the chances that a 
bad actor can break into your account. If someone does attempt to log in 
as you, MFA tools can give you a timely heads up so you can change your 
password and protect your account.


       *3. Back up your data*

Most people know it’s important to back up your data in case your 
computer breaks down, but it’s also a smart idea to do this in case you 
fall victim to a cyber attack. Ransomware attacks 
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/why-ransomware-attacks-are-on-the-rise-and-what-can-be-done-to-stop-them> 
are at an all-time high, and no one wants to have their data held 
hostage or, worse, permanently deleted.

Regular data backups also give you crucial peace of mind in these 
scenarios, reassuring you that even if you do get hacked, you won’t be 
at the cyber attackers’ mercy. Ideally, you will want to have a data 
backup that you keep offline on an external hard drive so attackers 
can’t easily get to it. If you back up your data to the cloud, use a 
strong password for your data backup service and update it on a regular 
basis.


       *4. Keep all of your gadgets and apps up to date*

Cyber attackers often target vulnerabilities in devices and 
applications, and their intended victims often don’t even know when 
they’ve been hacked. For this reason, “I will keep my devices and 
applications updated” should be one of your cybersecurity mantras 
<https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/01/repeat-after-me-7-cybersecurity-mantras-for-2021/>. 
If you see an alert from Apple, Microsoft, or Google warning you about 
an urgent security update, be sure to install it right away. Web-based 
cyber attacks are on the rise, so regularly check your web browsers to 
make sure they are up to date. Got smart home devices or other internet 
of things (IoT) gadgets? Update their software, as well.


       *5. Be security-aware*

To become cyber smart, you must first be security-aware. Cyber attackers 
love it when their intended victims are uninformed and unaware about 
cyber security – it makes their task easier, after all. Give yourself a 
leg up by signing up for important text and email alerts about important 
activity on your bank and credit accounts. When you get an email 
notifying you that your account credentials have been found in a data 
breach <https://www.lastpass.com/features/dark-web-monitoring>, update 
your password right away and make sure there’s been no suspicious 
activity on that account.

If you get a strange or alarming email message, closely analyze the 
sender’s email address and any links that may be in the message to make 
sure they look correct. If you’re not sure the message is legitimate, 
look up the company’s contact information separately  – don’t trust any 
phone numbers or email addresses that appear in the message itself – and 
ask them if they in fact sent that message to you. Likewise, if you 
receive a text message or a direct message (DM) on social media that 
seems slightly off, don’t click on any of the links or reply to it. 
Confirm that the message actually came from a trusted source before 
taking any action.


       *Do your part and be cyber smart*

Being cyber smart isn’t just in your self-interest. It also helps defend 
your workplace from a cyber attack. This is especially true now that the 
lines between our personal and work lives have blurred during the 
pandemic. Once you’ve checked every item on this checklist, though, you 
can rest assured that you’ve done your part to become more cyber smart. 
This way, you’ll be much better equipped to keep yourself and your 
coworkers safe from a cyber attack.

Discover how LastPass Premium 
<https://www.lastpass.com/products/premium-password-manager> makes it 
easy to do your part and be cyber smart.

The post Are You Cyber Smart? A Checklist 
<https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/10/are-you-cyber-smart-a-checklist/> 
appeared first on The LastPass Blog <https://blog.lastpass.com>.



Original Article: 
https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/10/are-you-cyber-smart-a-checklist/ 
<https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/10/are-you-cyber-smart-a-checklist/>



Jared Rimer
Check out my shows on Saturdays and Sundays right here on the mix.
Www.986themix.com for more details. Jared Rimer
Check out my show on www.986themix.com from 7 pm to 10 pm where we play 
Magnatune and other indipendant artists