It’s October, and what is scarier than the thought of someone gaining access to your bank accounts via your personal information? Sophisticated hackers, phishers, and organized cybercrime groups are increasingly targeting financial institutions and engaging in online account takeovers and fraudulent electronic funds transfers.
So, let’s talk about a topic that gives grown-ups nightmares during National Cyber Security Awareness Month. To help ease your worries, here are five tips on how to protect yourself from cybercriminals:
- Change and vary your passwords. As annoying as it can be, it is good practice to change your password every month. There is a reason so many places of employment require their employees to follow this rule. Not only that but don’t use the same password for all your accounts. If cybercriminals get ahold of your password, they can access all your accounts.
- Use secure websites. One simple way to ensure the website you’re using is secure is to look at the URL. If the site starts with “https,” like https://www.nasb.com, then you are safe. This is just one way we work to protect your information.
- Beware of public WiFi. A lot of people use public WiFi in places like the airport or coffee shops to check their bank accounts, purchase merchandise or complete other tasks they’d prefer were private. But if you’re not careful a cybercriminal could walk away with your personal information. Be cautious about where and what Wi-Fi you use. If possible it’s best to use a virtual private network when in public.
- Keep your computer up to date. It can be difficult to pause your life and completely shut down your computer sometimes, but it is important to install system updates. Microsoft and Apple regularly roll out these updates to put important security patches in place so that your personal information is not compromised.
- Manage your social media settings. Social engineering is a way cybercriminals can get access to your personal information. These criminals troll social posts or accounts and gain information about you. This information could include everything from your birthday to your pet's name. The less you share publicly the better.