October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Protecting yourself online is more important than ever. That’s why the Department of Homeland Security created National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. They also broke down action items by week. Here is the advice I found at https://staysafeonline.org/ncsam/about-ncsam/ for week 1.

Week 1: Oct. 2-6.

STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™: Simple Steps to Online Safety

Staying safe and secure online is our shared responsibility. Here is easy-to-follow, actionable advice for everyone. STOP: make sure security measures are in place. THINK: about the consequences of your actions and behaviors online. CONNECT: and enjoy the internet.

It is critical for anyone using the internet to continually learn about and consistently practice good cybersecurity habits. To better protect yourself, you should secure your home networks and mobile devices and take the time to learn how to use the internet more safely, securely and responsibly. Week 1 will address the top consumer cyber concerns, provide simple steps to protect against these concerns and teach you what to do if you fall victim to cybercrime.

Security measures are in place…

“What exactly does that mean?” says Jim. He runs a dental office. Protecting patient data is his highest priority. He asks his network manager for a short checklist:

• Verify virus protection is active and current. Jim checks all computers in his office to make sure they are running virus protection. He also opens the console to verify their signatures are current.
• Verify all software is up to date. Jim’s computers run Microsoft Windows 10. He goes to the Cortana search bar (bottom left corner), types Updates and presses (Enter). This reveals the Windows Update status. All are up to date.
• Make sure staff knows how to vet a link. Over the lunch break, Jim tells his staff that when reading an e-mail, move the mouse pointer over a link but do not click it. This reveals where the link would take you. Staff reports later in the day this practice helped reveal three sites that were not honest. Staff suspects they were fake, or phishing, sites.

Simple and free.

Checking virus protection, software updates and links is a no-cost solution to help keep you secure. Start improving your cybersecurity by following these steps today.