Today is one of the biggest online shopping days in Ireland.  Black Friday may be the day we queue outside shops to pick up a bargain, but Cyber Monday is when we become keyboard warriors in search of great deals.

Cyber Criminals Love it

While the retailers love the extra revenue and we certainly love the deals, unfortunately the hackers also love this special day.  They can really catch us off guard today.  We can get caught up in the drama of the day and in a frenzy we may click on dangerous email links leading us to dodgy websites.

New websites

On this day we know time is limited and there is a real FMO (fear of missing out), our friends may get the bargain of the day.  So we are more likely to be on new websites searching for the best offers.   Most of these websites are absolutely fine but we can end up on a dangerous one very easily if we don’t take care.   We are watching social media for offers and when we click we arrive somewhere that looks kind of familiar but on closer inspection it can be a website that is collecting payment details for products that don’t exist.   Many of these sites are created to look very like a popular retailer so you must be vigilant.

Phishing emails

While looking for bargains, all sense goes out the window.  We might get an email telling us about this amazing deal and normally we would be wary but on the day that is in it, we will probably just click without thinking.  Stop!  Phishing emails, social engineering, identity theft are all rife on a day like today.  Offers that are too good to be true, are normally not genuine.

What to do  

Ensure your security software is up to date and all patches have been updated.  Check that the firewall and antivirus is working.  In the office, share your cyber security knowledge with your team to help them stay safe.

It seems obvious but here is a reminder:  Think before you click, only visit trusted sites, check carefully before you give any payment details, look for any signs that the email might be fake or spam.  Stay safe this cyber Monday.

A password is not just a string of letters and numbers, it is the key to gaining access to a valuable place.  Passwords allow access to bank accounts, email accounts and more.  In the wrong hands, access to your accounts can result in disaster.

Online each day 

We access so many tools and accounts online each day. Our phones and a few codes allow us to be on social media, monitor our banking and send emails.  We are fortunate to have all this technology literally at our fingertips.  However, with this easy access comes the cyber criminal always trying to make some money.

Password Terms

Hackers try to gain access to accounts by a some common methods.  ‘Brute force’ tries the most common passwords against the account until it figures it out.  You can reduce the chances of getting hit with this by having a limiter on the account, this is a good security layer.

‘Password spraying’ is trying to figure out the same common password over many accounts.  This operates at a slower rate so they won’t be noticed.   We can tend to use the same password over several accounts so we can remember it easily, that is not such a good idea.  If one is compromised, then it can be used to access other accounts.

Here are some simple tips to help keep you password safe:  

• Remember longer is stronger. Passwords need to be a minimum of eight characters long.
• Passwords should contain a mixture of upper case and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
• Don’t use personal information in your password such as date of birth, pet’s name or your favourite football team. That’s too easy to guess.
• Use a different password for each account.
• Do not write your passwords down or store them on your mobile or PC.
• To store them, use an up-to-date digital password vault. This encrypts them and provides you with an access code.
• Remember to change your passwords regularly.
• Do not use the default password that comes with software installation. Change it immediately.
• Beware of shoulder surfers, when keying in passwords.

By following those simple steps, you could save yourself from having your online accounts compromised.  Human error is often the cause of data breaches so be password clever to help avoid it.   For more advice on staying safe on line you can speak to the expert team at DNA IT Solutions.

When you are building a business you will have a series of goals to meet that, for you, will measure your success.  On your journey to success you will no doubt change and adapt to whatever challenges you meet.  Digital transformation will be part of that journey.

Security and Trust

As you grow, your reputation will be one of the key factors in your success.  When it comes to brands, having the trust of the customers will aid growth through confidence.  Once that trust is broken in any way, not only is it a PR disaster but it will start to affect sales almost immediately and into the future.

Security Plan

Having a robust security plan in place for your business should be a priority.  Doing a full audit of the current situation and identifying what areas need to be looked at is the first step.  Seeing what data you have and how and where it is stored will be valuable.  Ensuring systems and platforms are as secure as you can make them is the next priority.  Having your team aware of cyber security and giving them the tools to protect themselves so they in turn can protect your business is key.

Mobile Security

Increasing use of mobile devices both within the business and by customers’ needs to be reviewed.  The security of WiFi within the organisation building but also the use of it by remote staff needs to be addressed.  Security of email and protocols should be in place to prevent phishing and ransomware attacks.  There are so many areas for attention which may include risks of hacking of any new technology such as chatbots or IoT products.  Alot centers around the concerns of your customer personal data being vulnerable.

Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery will be on the agenda when it comes to security.  Deciding on where in the cloud information is stored and backed up and having a plan around business continuity should an attack occur.  All these security concerns need to be addressed for ultimate business success.

Planning what you need to do and implementing it is the goal.  Knowing that there is not just one solution that fits all is a start.  Planning a set of different layers with different priorities that build up to a robust protective cloak will keep your business safe.  Plan your security strategy today and plan for business success.