Cybersecurity Awareness Week: Simple Ways to Protect Yourself Online

October not only brings the excitement of Halloween but also highlights the importance of Cybersecurity Awareness. This special time of year serves as a reminder to be extra vigilant when it comes to managing our digital lives, as we constantly expand our social outreach individually. 

In 2022, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 800,000 complaints related to cybersecurity. People lost over $10.3 billion because of issues like phishing, personal data breaches, and scams involving non-payment or non-delivery.

How can that happen to you?

One day, you receive an email that looks like it’s from your bank. It asks you to update your password. You click the link and do it. But the next day, you find out money is missing from your account. This is a real example of a phishing scam and it can literally happen to anyone.

So, what can we do to avoid falling into these traps? Let’s make it simple. Here are some easy steps to keep your digital identity safe and sound, whether you’re at work or at home.

At Work: Protecting Your Professional Space

Now Imagine you’re working on a high-profile project and your computer is a vault of sensitive information. How do you safeguard it?

• Update Your Anti-Virus Software: Always keep it up-to-date to fight off the latest threats.
• Use Work Computers for Work Only: Keep it professional and avoid using it for personal stuff.
• Create Strong Passwords: Mix it up with letters, numbers, and symbols. Make it tough to guess!
• Be Careful with Emails: Only open emails and attachments from people you know and trust.
• Watch Out for Phishing: Before opening an email, ensure it’s from a trusted colleague. An unexpected email from “[email protected]” might be a phishing attempt
• Secure Your Access Card: Don’t leave it on your computer. Take it with you if you step away.

At Home and On the Go: Safeguarding Your Personal Data

You’re at a café, sipping coffee while browsing on your laptop. What risks lurk, and how do you mitigate them?

• Ensure Device Security: Regularly update your phone and laptop, enabling the latest security features.
• Link Clicking Caution: Received a text from a “friend” with a link? Confirm with them before clicking—it could be a scam.
• Employ Multi-Layered Security: Utilize passwords and biometric features like fingerprint or face recognition for enhanced security.
• Consider Extra Protection: Services like LifeLock offer additional layers of identity theft protection, safeguarding your personal information.
• Mind Your Surroundings: In public spaces, be wary of leaving devices unattended or exposed to “shoulder surfers” who might get information from your screen.

Facia’s Contribution

In biometric authentication, Facia emerges as a champion. For instance, Facia’s facial recognition technology could be a game-changer for any institution, adding a robust layer of security that transcends traditional password protections.

Facia offers several services to businesses including liveness detection, face recognition, immigration automation and anti-money laundering services that protect organisations and their customers. 

Conclusion: Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape

The current age of digital innovation is exciting, but it surely poses a lot of threats too. Fraudsters have gained access to sophisticated technology that can fool high-level security protocols. Hence, it becomes imperative to be wary of these threats on a personal level. The first step towards identifying these threats is to understand and become aware of where they originate from. 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we aim to deliver the latest security awareness techniques that you can use to keep yourself and your data safe. 

Let’s make sure we do this not just in October, but always!