As students wrap up the academic year, its a good idea to take a moment to consider these simple cybersecurity tips to keep you safe online this Summer (and through the year).
It’s great to take a break from the usual routines in favor of spending time in the sunshine with family and friends. However, it is important to take the time to consider some best practices for safe internet use and secure your network, your laptop, your cell phone, and more.
Attackers have learned that the easiest way to get what they want—your money or your information—is to target you, rather than your computer or other devices. If they want your bank account password or control of your social media account, they will attempt to trick you into giving it to them, often by creating a sense of urgency or confusion. For example, a phishing email telling you to click to log into your account to confirm a bank transfer. Or they send you a text message that a package could not be delivered, fooling you into clicking on a malicious link. The most common indicators of a social engineering attack include:
- A sense of urgency, often through fear, intimidation, a crisis, or an important deadline
- Pressure to ignore common sense, an offer too good to be true (no, you did not win the lottery!), or exploiting your natural curiosity
- A request for help from a friend or co-worker in which the signature, tone of voice or wording seems “off”
To combat these tricks, navigate to your financial or other accounts via a bookmark or by typing in the address manually instead of clicking on email links, or contact people you know by phone or some other mechanism to verify the request.
Be cautious of public Wi-Fi
Free public Wi-Fi is a hacker’s playground for stealing personal information. One of the dangers of using a public Wi-Fi network is that data over this type of open connection is often unencrypted and unsecured, leaving you vulnerable. Cybercriminals exploit security flaws in networks to intercept data
Disable Auto-Connect / Bluetooth Connectivity
To disable auto-connect, go into phone settings, turn off the auto-connect feature and be on your way. Most recent model phones will have this feature turned on unless you turn it off. Do yourself a favor and avoid connecting to unknown networks by adjusting this setting.
Don’t update when not on a known network
Install updates to your technology at home while connected to a trusted Wi-Fi source. Avoid installing updates while connected to a public Wi-Fi network. This is because many hackers try to trick unsuspecting users with download and update prompts that are viruses.
It is important to remember that laptops, phones, and tablets should never be left unattended. Ensure your devices are always with you. If you are staying in a hotel, the best thing to do is lock them in a safe. f a safe is not available, lock it in your luggage.
Bottom line- Have a Fun Summer, be aware, stay aware, and take preventative measures to keep your data safe.
