Cyber Security Awareness Month
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. See their website on the special month here. They have tips for staying safe online. I won't bore you with the details (I know you're bright enough to go there and read for yourself), but here's a snippet of their suggestions:
* Don't open attachments from people you don't know.
* Think twice (maybe three times) before you open an attachment from someone you do know.
* Don't open an attachment from yourself (duh . . . this is a common ploy by the bad guys!)
* Don't view the internet as a great big play place . . . think about the stranger danger tips we give our kids. A google search as innocuous as "antique waterfall dressers" can lead you to a malicious site. Yes, I know that from experience.
Social networking deserves its own set of tips:
* Do not post any personally identifiable information. That's how the bad guys find you. (teenagers: Are you listening?)
* Do not post anything that you would not want your mother or a potential employer to see. Those pictures of you that one night at that one party with the thing might come back to haunt you. Yes, I'm talking about that picture.
* Do not mix business and pleasure. If you plan to network with colleagues, create a separate profile and keep that one professional. Do not friend your friends - only other professionals (and vice versa for your personal site).
Feel free to add your tips below. Be safe out there!
Lori Robinett
Here are my tips:Take Action - There are many things businesses, schools, and home users can do to practice cyber security during National Cyber Security Awareness Month and beyond.
- Make sure that you have anti-virus software and firewalls installed, properly configured, and up-to-date. New threats are discovered every day, and keeping your software updated is one of the easier ways to protect yourself from an attack. Set your computer to automatically update for you.
- Update your operating system and critical program software. Software updates offer the latest protection against malicious activities. Turn on automatic updating if that feature is available.
- Back up key files. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc and store it in a safe place.
* Don't open attachments from people you don't know.
* Think twice (maybe three times) before you open an attachment from someone you do know.
* Don't open an attachment from yourself (duh . . . this is a common ploy by the bad guys!)
* Don't view the internet as a great big play place . . . think about the stranger danger tips we give our kids. A google search as innocuous as "antique waterfall dressers" can lead you to a malicious site. Yes, I know that from experience.
Social networking deserves its own set of tips:
* Do not post any personally identifiable information. That's how the bad guys find you. (teenagers: Are you listening?)
* Do not post anything that you would not want your mother or a potential employer to see. Those pictures of you that one night at that one party with the thing might come back to haunt you. Yes, I'm talking about that picture.
* Do not mix business and pleasure. If you plan to network with colleagues, create a separate profile and keep that one professional. Do not friend your friends - only other professionals (and vice versa for your personal site).
Feel free to add your tips below. Be safe out there!
Lori Robinett
Posted by Lori Robinett at 10/16/2009 7:44 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: paralegal online security legal assistant web security
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: paralegal online security legal assistant web security
Comments