Category: Press Releases

Cyber Security Tip #23

Hackers are taking advantage of people’s fears regarding the latest Ebola outbreak. If you get an email from a seemingly trustworthy organization about the Ebola virus in the coming days, beware. It could very well be a scam to obtain your personal info. The emails look like they’re from organizations like the World Health Organization. But when you click on its attachments, they install a DarkComet Remote Access Trojan (RAT) onto your computer, giving hackers access to your computer and the files on it. Be sure to avoid emails with subject lines similar to the following: • RE: Ebola Survival Guide • What you need to know about the deadly Ebola outbreak • So Really, How Do You Get Ebola? • Ebola virus outbreak: Curing Breakthrough Revealed? • SHOCKING Health Alert: Secret Cure for Ebola? • HEALTH NEWS: Secret Cure for Ebola? • Is there ANY way to cure Ebola? ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #22

Cyber Security Tip #22: Treat your personal information like cash Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new accounts in your name. So every time you are asked for your personal information — whether in a web form, an email, a text, or a phone message — think about whether you can really trust the request. Always ensure that the website requesting the information is encrypted. Some websites use encryption only on the sign-in page, but if any part of your session isn’t encrypted, the entire account could be vulnerable. Look for https on every page of the site you’re on, not just where you sign in. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #21

Cyber Security Tip #21: Surf Safe on the Internet It’s important to verify the sites you visit on the Internet. A certain amount of information (such as your IP address and domain name) is automatically sent when you connect. Web sites can also track the pages you visit, determine the version of your browser and operating system, and even compromise files and passwords. Below are a few helpful tips on how to keep safe on the Internet: • Keep your operating system updated and patched. • Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software and keep them updated. • Do not visit un-trusted websites or follow links provided by unknown or un-trusted sources. • Keep your applications (programs) updated and patched, particularly if they work with your browser such as multi-media programs used for viewing videos. • Block pop-up windows, some of which may be malicious and hide attacks. This may block malicious software from being downloaded to your computer. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #20

Stranger Danger Parents are constantly reminded about teaching their kids to protect themselves against online strangers, but these individuals can pose just as great a threat to adults. When interacting with people online in any environment, you should exercise extreme caution. Especially if someone begins asking for personal information or attempts a sales pitch. Online harassment and abuse can also be a serious problem for both kids and adults. If someone you talk to online is becomes abusive or harasses you, immediately drop contact before things escalate. Be careful whom you befriend online — not everyone is friendly or forthcoming on the Internet. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #19

Using Gift Cards this Holiday Season With so many breaches occurring at retail stores nation wide, it is no wonder shoppers are iffy on using their credit and debit cards this Holiday season. To avoid being a victim of a breach, cyber security experts recommend you going to your financial institute and obtain a registered gift card to do your online shopping. It won’t be tied to any of your bank accounts and may even help with your Holiday budgeting. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #18

Be Cautious of Work At Home Scams Working from home, earn $500 a week commission. It sounds to good to be true, and it is. Scammers pass stolen cash to unsuspecting people, who transfer it back to the thieves via electronic payment. Your job with the work taken out is money laundering. Beware. If you ever unsure on if a work at home site is legit or any other online internet service offered be sure to act on your doubts. If you think an online shop or service is dodgy, do some checking. A WHOIS search may let you see the registration details of a site. Visit the website www.whois.net and check out your suspect site. Companies House also enables you to check out details about company addresses, owners and the like. Look for big discrepancies between onscreen addresses and physical offices. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #17

Be Aware of What Information You Put in Autoresponders Do you use autoresponder on your email accounts? While autoresponder is an awesome tool to let people know that you are away, hackers and crooks also see this as an awesome tool to determine the best time hack into your computer system or rob your home. As long as the autoresponder is enabled, it will automatically respond to anyone who emails you. Consider the verbiage you use. Do not give out specific details about your location or itinerary and consider using a phrase like, “I will not have access to email between (date) and (date).”

Cyber Security Tip #16

Beware of Rogue Anti-Virus Software Rogue software or “scareware” is fake antivirus or security software. Bad guys usually try to get you to install it by generating a pop-up window as you surf the web. The “updates” or “alerts” in the pop-up windows call for you to take some sort of action, such as clicking to install the software, accept recommended updates, or remove unwanted viruses or spyware. When you click, the rogue security software downloads to your computer. Here’s some ways to apply computer security best practices that will help protect your machine and minimize any potential impacts: 1. Don’t click on pop-up ads that advertise anti-virus or anti-spyware programs 2. Don’t download software from unknown sources. 3. Use and regularly update firewalls, anti-virus, and anti-spyware programs. 4. Patch operating systems, browsers, and other software programs. 5. Regularly scan and clean your computer. 6. Back up your critical files. Take Microsoft’s Real vs. Rogue quiz:https://www.facebook.com/msftmmpc/app_236330836495399 to help you tell if a security warning is from your real antivirus software or from rogue security.

Cyber Security Tip #15: Ways to Safely Dispose of Old Computers

  • October 15, 2014
  • Comments Off on Cyber Security Tip #15: Ways to Safely Dispose of Old Computers

With the Holidays just around the corner, folks may be considering upgrading their old desktop or laptop to a newer model.  So what do people do with their old computers?  It is important to remember to erase all personal information from old computers before disposing or selling them.  Simply reformatting a hard drive or reinstalling the operating system does not guarantee that your personal information is actually gone from the computer. Here are some tips on how to safely dispose of them: You could physically destroy the hard drive For those who want to sell their old system or give it a family member, destroying the hard drive may not be a plausible option. In this case using a special “wipe” program will erase all your personal information.  Programs such as Active@ KillDisk and Softpedia DP Wiper, are free and meet government security standards. Both  Apple and Microsoft have refurbish programs that will safely dispose of old electronics and securely wipe the data for you.

Cyber Security Tip #14

Using online cloud services to store personal and professional documents is becoming more and more popular. With companies such as Apple and Microsoft now offering individuals up to 1tb of data at a minimal price, more internet users are enjoying the convenience of storing files in a cloud based location for easy access. That easy access can come at a price and as we have seen in recent weeks, with the celebrity iCloud leak, there are still several vulnerabilities in this new technology. Here are some tips to help protect your information on the Cloud: • Be aware of what information you’re providing online. Free isn’t always free. Many “free” services sell information about you like your hobbies, salary, family members, friends, location, profession, purchase and viewing history, to advertisers to make money. • Read websites’ privacy policies and terms of use. Don’t sign up for new cloud services without researching it. • Don’t post information that could be exploited by a bad guy or that you don’t want made public. • Don’t store unencrypted sensitive information in the cloud. You don’t know with whom you’re sharing the cloud! • Enable Two-Step Verification. With two-step verification, it’s necessary for you to input two different pieces of data in order to access your personal information. While it can be frustrating and time-consuming, it saves you from having to clean up the potential mess a hacker could make with your credit card information or private photos stolen from the cloud. ‪#‎NCSAM‬