Anyone can be a target of cybercrimes, but there are ways you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim.
In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re sharing four steps that are recommended by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency to safeguard your personal and financial information. The best part? They’re all free and take just a few moments to implement.
1. Use Strong Passwords
The more complex you make a password, the harder it is for criminals to crack. This means not using passwords that are easy to guess - like “password,” your birthday, your dog’s name, etc. It also means adding in multiple character types, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
If you’re concerned you won’t be able to remember a complex password, make a sentence that will help you remember. For example, you can take, “I have been a PSECU member for 20 years!” and turn that into IhbaPmf20y!
Another important note about passwords: don’t use the same one for all your accounts. If hackers get their hands on the password for one of your accounts, you don’t want them to be able to access other accounts as well.
2. Understand Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
MFA often means having a code sent to you via email or text message when you’re logging into an account. It’s an easy but effective way to keep criminals from accessing important information that may be stored in your email, social media, or other accounts.
3. Recognize Phishing
Phishing scams are a common way that personal information gets compromised. Here’s how a phishing scam works: you receive an email with a link embedded. When you click on the link, you’re taken to a website – one that often is made to look almost exactly like a legitimate site. Because it looks familiar, you’re tricked into entering sensitive information. You submit the requested information and just like that, criminals get their hands on your personal or financial data.
To avoid becoming a victim of phishing scams, know the red flags, such as:
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A sense of urgency, including claims that you must “act now” to help a loved one, unlock your account, etc.
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Threatening language, such as warnings that you’ll be arrested or fined.
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Typos or other mistakes. Fraudulent communications often include grammar mistakes and other errors.
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Strange URLs when you hover over links and buttons. Scammers are getting very good at spoofing emails and count on you blindly clicking on links in an email you think is legit.
4. Update Software
When a new security patch becomes available, most software companies will release an update to users. Keeping current with these updates helps ensure that your devices are armed with the latest security features, which will ultimately help resolve vulnerabilities that have been identified in the software you use and keep your data secure.
Stay Secure Year-Round
While we use Cybersecurity Awareness Month to spread knowledge about keeping your data safe, the importance of cybersecurity doesn’t end when October concludes. Get tips for keeping your personal and financial information safe year-round by checking out our resource center.
