October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Though Halloween gets all the fanfare and excitement, there’s another event that also happens in October. It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an annual event created to bring government and industry together to help protect American consumers from the scary threat of cybertheft.

The theme for this year’s event, Secure Our World, focuses on four key educational components that can help you take control of your online security.

Let’s take a look.

Protect your passwords. From online banking to streaming services to social media sites, most of us have no shortage of passwords in our lives. And while it’s not always easy to keep track of them, our passwords are an important line of defense between us and cyber thieves. That’s why it’s so important to develop strong ones. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends following some key guidelines in creating passwords.

• They should be at least 12 characters long.

• They should be unique. Never use one password for multiple websites, which would give cyber thieves access to all your online accounts if they gain access to a password. Also, don’t use variations of the same password with a number or symbol added to the end.

• They should be complex with a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. You don’t have to keep changing complex passwords unless you believe your information has been compromised.

Admittedly, long and complex passwords are difficult to manage. That’s why it’s recommended to use a password manager to help you create strong passwords and securely store them in one place. Learn more about password managers.

Beware of phishing scams. Cyber thieves can be crafty and persistent, constantly developing creative ways to lure you into providing personal or financial information or downloading malware on your computer. In a phishing attack, you may receive a fake email that appears to be from a legitimate delivery service telling you they can’t deliver your package unless you visit a website and make a payment or provide personal information.

Here are some ways to avoid being caught in a phishing scam:

• Never provide personal or financial information from an unsolicited request.
• Watch for suspicious URLs – they may use a variation of a company’s website. For example, using .net vs. .com.
• Look out for typos and grammatical mistakes, which can be common.
• Never click on a link from a source you haven’t verified.
• Remember that bankHometown will never send you an email or text asking you for personal information.

Learn more about what to look for and how to protect yourself from falling victim to phishing.

Use two-factor authentication.  Also known as multi-factor authorization, two-factor authentication is a type of security designed to protect you if your password is compromised. When you or someone else attempts to log in to your account from an unauthorized device, you’ll be asked to verify your identity in two ways. That can involve entering your user ID and password and using your fingerprint or a one-time code sent by phone, text, or email (or available in an authenticator app on your smartphone). Enabling two-factor authentication on apps and devices will ensure added protection.

Update your software. Cyber thieves are always developing new and innovative ways to hack into systems. That’s why software and app developers frequently enhance software to reduce security risks and vulnerabilities. To protect yourself from fraud, always install the latest app, software, and device updates. You can take the following steps to protect yourself:

• If you can, set up automatic updates in your devices and software.
• Only download updates from verified sources.
• Never click on updates emailed or texted to you; it could be part of a phishing scam.
• Regularly check the software and apps on your devices to ensure you have the latest versions.

Protect yourself all year long

Though National Cybersecurity Awareness Month happens in October, you can protect yourself all year long by taking these precautions. At bankHometown, you can be assured that we’re doing all we can to protect you every day.