October is CyberSecurity month. It’s actually already kind of a sad statement that cyber theft and fraud are prevalent enough that we have to have an entire month devoted to being mindful of the need to keep networks safe and secure but that is frankly the sad reality of it. NTCA’s new Industry and CyberSecurity Policy Analyst, Roxanna Barboza, has already been a great addition to the team and is letting me share here the tips that she has been sharing with our NTCA members all month long…..
Week 1: If You Connect It. Protect It.
- Public Wi-Fi networks are not secure – limit what you do on public WiFi, and avoid logging in to your company’s key accounts. Learn more at https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/
- Tips for Spotting a Phish: 1) They offer financial reward, threaten you or claim to need help. 2) They ask for your personal info. 3) They want you to download a file or click on a link. staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/online-safety-basics/spam-and-phishing/
- Avoid saving sensitive company account information and sign out of accounts when not in use. You wouldn’t want someone to steal your information!
Week 2: Securing Devices at Home and Work
- Do you know how many of your apps have access to your contacts, photos and location data? Time to find out! Configure your #privacy and #security settings to limit how much #data you give away. Do your part. Learn more at https://staysafeonline.org/cybersecure-business/protect/
- No matter how long and strong your passphrase is, a breach is always possible. Make it harder for cybercriminals to access your account by enabling multi-factor authentication. Learn more about MFA at staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/securing-key-accounts-devices/passwords-securing-accounts/
- Invest in firewall protection and security systems. This could save you from the possible financial and legal costs of being breached!
Week 3: Securing Internet – Connected Devices in Healthcare
- Cyber tips you should know before your next virtual doctor’s visit: 1) Close unnecessary programs/tabs, 2) Use the right browser 3) Confirm you are calling the right phone number.
- Engage telehealth with a trusted organization. With more than 500 rural communications providers enrolled in NTCA’s Group Health Program (GHP) medical plan, they have access to Teladoc. To learn more Teladoc and their quick tips, visit: https://www.ntca.org/group-health-program-ghp/teladocquicktips
- Telemedicine is here and rapidly changing the healthcare industry! Learn more about COVOID-19 telehealth updates at https://www.ntca.org/member-services/coronavirus-resource-center.
Week 4: Cyber Hygiene
- Embrace education and training. Invest time training your employees the role that cybersecurity has within your company. Learn more at https://staysafeonline.org/get-involved/
- Put a plan in place to assist your company in securing your networks and devices. Start by visiting https://staysafeonline.org/cybersecure-business/identify/
- Look into a safe cyberthreat information sharing program to protect your network and customers. Don’t know of one? We got you covered! Check out #CyberShare at https://www.ntca.org/member-services/cybershare
There…don’t you feel smarter and safer already? We have taken our cyber hygiene very seriously here at NTCA and I likely delete many emails I shouldn’t but have taken on the “better safe than sorry” mantra. I learned a great deal from my discussion last week for our Critical Connections series with Larry Clinton, head of the Internet Security Alliance when he shared that last year cyber crimes cost users over $2 trillion and that number is expected to triple this year. And only one percent of the crimes are prosecuted. That is why NTCA recommits to being a key partner for our membership and we’re really proud of our CyberShare program and hope to see more members check out this tool in the toolbox to protect their networks.
Stay safe!