Just as the consequences of overeating such as heartburn and bloating outweigh the enjoyment of the food, so also oversharing of your personal information may result in undesirable consequences that far outweigh the joy of sharing your information online with your friends and family. The more personal information you share online, the more you are at risk of being a victim of identity theft or spear-phishing. Hackers are able to target you once they gather enough information from what you have shared on your various social media platforms.
Avoid sharing sensitive information such as phone numbers, home and work addresses, and photos showing when and where you are vacationing with your family. If you desire to share your vacation photos with your friends and family, it’s safer to do so after you are back. Disable location services while you are posting so that it does not track and show where you are at any given time.
Working Remotely
There has been unprecedented increase in the number of people who now work from home due to the global pandemic. With this new trend comes increased risks and threats to privacy and the security of business data. Here are a few tips to help you conduct business securely while working from home:
- Use only approved devices to do your work at home.
- Connect to the Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access applications that require it.
- Ensure that you use a strong password (not the default “Admin” password) and use a unique login name on your Wi-Fi access device.
- Do not allow access or use of your work device by unauthorized persons.
- Use only approved Virtual Conference application to conduct or attend virtual conferences.
- Report any incident of data breach, theft, or loss of County device to the County IT Helpdesk.
Securing Your Mobile Device
The portability and convenience of use allow mobile devices to play vital role in our everyday lives; from banking and shopping online to playing games, watching news and movies to conducting business. The powerful capacity of mobile phones to store large amounts of data such as family photos, videos and business data make them vulnerable to cyber attacks and theft. However, the highest risk we face with our mobile device is losing or misplacing it. The following are tips to help you secure your mobile device:
- Enable automatic updates with the Operating System (OS) software and other application updates on your device.
- Use a strong password, Personal Identification Number (PIN) and multi-factor authentication to secure the apps on your phone and when making online transactions.
- Enable screen lock and do not leave your device unattended.
- Do not use free Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions such as business or online financial transactions.
- Only use authorized and authenticated personal mobile devices for work.
Removable Media
The use of removable media such as USB drives and other storage devices to store and transmit data from one machine to another makes it easy for cybercriminals to install and spread malicious software. It only takes one infected system to spread the malware throughout an entire network. The small size and portability of removable media also means they can easily be lost or stolen. One of the most effective ways hackers infiltrate a targeted network is to spread infected USB drives in places such as the packing lots, libraries, office buildings and other high-traffic areas for people to see and pick them up.
The following tips will help you prevent data loss and malware infection:
- Ensure that the anti-virus software on your computer is updated automatically.
- Never connect any removable media you found somewhere to your computer. Report any found media to the appropriate IT team.
- Enable screen lock and do not leave your device unattended.
- Ensure that you use only encrypted media to transfer sensitive data.
- Do not store sensitive data on your personal home computer.
Clean Desk Habit
Maintaining a clean desk goes beyond keeping your desk and work area clean and free of clutter. It requires that you are intentional in how you handle data stored on your computer including printed copies. The goal is to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, theft or damage to data and devices during or off business hours. A significant benefit of maintaining a clean workspace is the use of digital documents instead of hard copies. This is an environmentally friendly approach that helps us to secure sensitive data and also save money.
Follow best practices listed below to maintain a clean desk habit:
- Declutter your workspace and only keep files and documents that you are working on.
- Keep hand-written notes with sensitive information secured or covered.
- Ensure removable media are safely stored in locked drawers.
- Shred documents including post-it notes that are no longer needed.
- Lock computer when stepping away from your desk.
- Work with electronic or digital documents whenever possible.
- Wipe sensitive information from whiteboard after a meeting.