Cyber Attack Security Begins at Home: Is your family protected?

Everyone is using the internet and prone to a cyber attack these days, from your kids downloading free games and you engaging in online banking, to your parents ordering gifts from online shopping sites.

You can’t eliminate every possible risk surrounding these online activities, but you can take precautions to reduce the risks by understanding and educating yourself and your family on how to proactively prevent home security breaches by practicing these basic security strategies.

A few basic security strategies you can practice at home to protect your family from cyber attacks:

Create strong secure passwords.

• Establish a secure password for each person in your family and make sure they understand not to share them with anyone.
• A secure password should be as long and complex as possible, ideally a phrase, using a combination of lower-case and capital letters, numbers and symbols.

Use security software.

• Install security software on all your devices, turn on automatic daily scans, and make sure it is regularly updated.
• Be cautious when clicking on email links or attachments. Cyber criminals are getting more creative and clever every day, trying to entice you to click on links or open attachments that may look safe or look like emails addressed from someone you may know.
• Always check before clicking any link and if you have any doubt whatsoever delete the email.

Secure your home internet router.

• Make sure the router you use for your home internet connections are secure and password protected. -If you are unsure how to do this contact your service provider for assistance.

Be careful what you download.

• Check the source of the download, make sure it is from a legitimate site.
• Many malicious sites could appear to be a “copy-cat” of a legitimate site, so be especially cautious.

Always log out.

• Remember to log out of a website or application when you’re finished. Leaving them open could open a path to your device or home network and make your data vulnerable.

Never give out personal information.

• Avoid phone calls, texts and websites requesting personal information from unknown entities. Verify the source before releasing any personal information.

Ultimately, we are all responsible for what we do online. Not following these basic security strategies and our own carelessness opens us up to cyber attacks.

So, educate your family, practice basic security strategies and surf responsibility.