Posted On: October 1, 2024 by Austin Bank in: Tech Tip
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM).
First recognized by the President of the United States and Congress in 2004, CSAM has been a collaborative effort by the government and various industries to ensure every American has the resources and tools to stay safe and secure while online.
As technology advances, the need for cybersecurity education is greater than ever. With this in mind, we have shared a few key topics below to help you safely navigate today’s technology-focused landscape and reduce risks when online and connected to devices.
Personal Topics
Placing A Fraud Alert
If you're the victim of identity theft, or think you may be at risk, you should act quickly to protect yourself from further financial damage. You need to place a fraud alert as soon as you are aware that something could be wrong.
A fraud alert makes it harder for criminals to open new credit in your name because a business will have to verify your identity before a new account is opened.
Placing a fraud alert is free and easy and makes it harder for criminals to use your information.
Watch Out For AI Phone Scams
Scammers are constantly looking for new ways to trick you, and as technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the scams. A new threat is AI voice scams, which can impersonate the voices of loved ones or trusted figures.
Scammers use AI voice cloning to create convincing audio messages to deceive victims into taking urgent action such as sending money. Family scams are particularly effective because they prey on our emotions and concern for loved ones.
The key to staying safe from AI voice scams is awareness and knowing how to spot red flags.
Small Business Topics
Is Data Security A Priority At Your Business? It Should Be.
Are you doing everything you can to protect your customers and your business against identity theft?
As cybercriminals look for new ways to access sensitive personal or financial information, businesses of all sizes need to fortify their defenses. That means having policies and procedures to protect data, as well as ongoing education about best practices and what to do if something goes wrong.
By creating a work culture where security is a focus, you’re protecting both you and your customer – and that’s good business.
Multifactor Authentication For Businesses
Businesses have become increasingly vulnerable to hackers trying to gain access to their employee email accounts and other vital systems.
One important safeguard to implement is multifactor authentication — or MFA — which can help protect against cybercriminals by requiring staffers to provide additional evidence to prove their identity when logging in.
Multifactor authentication can give your business the extra layers of defense it needs to keep your important business and customer data safe.
Continue Learning
To learn more and to view additional videos and articles covering a wide range of cybersecurity & financial literacy topics including personal finance, identity theft prevention, business advice and more, visit our Financial Education pages.
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