,October is Cyber security awareness month
Cyber security awareness has never been more necessary. Love it or hate it, the internet and all it involves is here to stay. Technology increasingly dominates our daily routine with the rapid rise of mobile devices. Hence, having awareness of online dangers is a sensible idea.
At Nybble we do all we can to inform and teach our clients how to stay safe from the many threats out there. Our own security protection for our business and corporate clients ensures our nybble family is a well informed one.
President Obama decided that October would be the recognised month for the Cyber security awareness campaign. On the official website of the Department of Homeland Security, they have posted some tips to help the 200million+ connected users in the United States to stay safe and aware. These are:
- Set strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone.
- Keep your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimised by installing updates.
- Maintain an open dialogue with your family, friends, and community about Internet safety.
- Limit the amount of personal information you post online and use privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely.
- Be cautious about what you receive or read online—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
In short, with 3 billion+ internet users worldwide, it’s vital we accept personal responsibility. Above all, we cannot rely on our Internet service providers, security software developers and governments to keep us safe.
(source: http://www.dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month)
How you can help
So, should you be doing anything to protect yourself or your business? Certainly, the European Union thought so. They adopted the concept of a Cyber security awareness month in 2012 and the common theme is that we are all in this together. Therefore, everybody has a responsibility to keep the internet as safe as possible and be aware of the dangers. As the dhs.gov website states,
No country, industry, community or individual is immune to cyber risks
The European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) promotes data and information security, education, sharing of good practice and competition. The EU Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), the European Commission DG CONNECT and Partners are deploying the ECSM every October. The campaign theme STOP.THINK.CONNECT is an effort to make people consider their online security as unconsciously as they do putting on a seat-belt.
In addition, risks from our personal desktop computers have extended to a whole range of devices known as the Internet of Things (IoT). As a result, this creates opportunities for new ways in which our private networks can be accessed. Subsequently, automatic lighting, heart monitors and even baby monitors can give an expert hacker a path from device to the central hub of control.
Finally, keep visiting our blog for our security guides and advice. Also, remember that the Nybble team are a phone call away for helpful, friendly advice on cyber security awareness.
Posted by Jill Wells 15/10/2015
Further reading: https://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/cyber-tip-be-vigilant-with-your-internet-of-things-iot-devices
