Did you know that October is Cyber Security Awareness month?
While cyber security has been in the forefront of business for a while and a popular buzz word, don’t forget to consider how you use technology personally. Businesses are not cyber criminals only targets! Those bogus emails and texts you get are targeted to try and get you to click links so they can steal your credentials or take you to a malicious site. There are thousands of vulnerabilities disclosed every month that bad actors try and utilize, so be very cautious about what you open and click on to ensure you don’t become a victim!
1. Find a password manager you like and use it everywhere. Vendors like LastPass, Password Boss, Bit Warden and many others are good options and even provide OTP setup for MFA.
2. Setup MFA for any website or account (not just bank accounts) that support it. Many sites support it but don’t force you to use it. Go to the manage account or settings area for the site and look for options under security or key works like 2FA, MFA, 2 Step Verification etc.
3. Never answer those security questions used to secure your account truthfully. Use fictitious answers and have fun with them, then document the answers in the password manager you set up. With social media and all the online content, it’s not too hard to figure out what your pet’s name is, what elementary school you went to, or who is your favorite teacher. Look back through your old posts and see what information could be pulled from your accounts, that is exactly what the bad guys do…. ever got those fake or duplicate friends requests?
4. Get signed up with the credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) and freeze your credit, the accounts are free to setup and free to freeze and thaw as needed. It is a little more of a pain when you go to get a loan or new credit card and have to thaw your account, but that protection helps stop identity theft.
If you have Cyber Security questions or concerns reach out and I will be happy to help where I can. We are all in this together in the fight against Cyber Criminals!
October 27, 2025
