The internet is a shared resource and securing it is our shared Responsibility. \u00a0The mission of The National CyberSecurity Alliance\u00a0with its \u201cStaySafeOnline\u201d website tool is to educate and empower a digital society to use the internet safely and securely.<\/p>\n
Stay Safe Online<\/a><\/p>\n Think of the adage, \u201cNothing is truly free,\u201d including mobile apps. Be mindful of the personal information you give mobile app providers. Many free apps sell your information to a wide range of companies, some of which may have malicious intents. Studies have shown most apps do not have many, or even any, security controls built in. \u00a0Checkout Privacy Grade to see if the app you want respects your privacy and has security built in.<\/p>\n Privacy Grade<\/a><\/p>\n And finally, your guide to intelligent Giving at Holiday time and all year round Check out<\/p>\n Charity Navigator<\/a><\/p>\n A list of general points and tips to learn and keep in mind to mitigate risk online:<\/strong><\/p>\n Be aware of what you \u201cClick\u201d on! <\/strong>\u201cUsually during the holidays malicious \u2018hackers\u2019 utilize the holiday season itself for online scams, phishing, and malware distribution.\u00a0 A lot of times there is an increase in email spam whereas a malicious hacker tries to send as many email messages they can to increase the potential percentage of victims clicking on them, or \u2018falling for their hoax\u2019.\u00a0 This is the biggest concern we\u2019ve seen during the holidays.\u00a0 They\u2019ll take advantage of \u201cBlack Friday\u201d or \u201cCyber Monday\u201d deals to their advantage and redirect users to a malicious site instead of the original vendor.\u00a0 So the tip here is \u2018think before you click\u2019.\u00a0 People are so prone to just clicking right away without thinking what they\u2019ve done, they open themselves to a vulnerable state.\u00a0 If an email looks too good to be true, it most likely is\u201d, according to BlueBridge Networks security expert consultant Nathan LaFollette.<\/p>\n Update your own sites<\/strong>. If you are a business you will want to ensure that your ecommerce and PII sites are fully patched as a good practice before the holidays.\u00a0 Attackers will also take advantage of patches not applied because maybe a system admin is on holiday, which can leave the company open to a vulnerable state.\u00a0 So being diligent in patching and penetration testing on a regular basis will ensure that the malicious hackers will stay away from your server or app, and focus on one somewhere else where it\u2019s easier to utilize the vulnerable state.<\/p>\n Read The Fine Print. <\/strong>Can be seemingly boring and mundane, however, this practice could help you avoid the hassle of having to cancel unwanted monthly membership charges and the like. Read privacy policies and understand them.<\/p>\n Look for the \u201cS\u201d in the web address. <\/strong>In order to help assure a website is secure a website address should have \u201chttps\u201d not just \u201chttp\u201d watch that all of your personal information is encrypted. Insist on sites that are 2 factor or multi factor authentication. They should not only want your username and password, but also an additional security code(s)<\/p>\n Practice Good Password Hygiene. <\/strong>You will want to be sure to change passwords often. Make sure your characters number at least eight digits or more. Utilize a random mix or upper and lower case alphabet, symbols and numbers. Be sure to keep any passwords written down separate from the computers utilized and under lock.<\/p>\n Avoid using Public Wi-Fi for transactions and other tips.<\/strong> Simply put: your connection could be intercepted. You will want to utilize a known secure connection like a VPN. Avoid use of Debit Card, as it may not limit your risk of loss as well as a credit card. Be aware of your levels of cyber protection and look for this value when procuring a credit card just as you may compare interest rates and other terms.<\/p>\n A past Column I wrote for CBC that may be helpful to revisit this time of year before we participate in what experts are predicting to be a record Holiday Season spending Online with of over 83 Billion dollars of transactions… http:\/\/cbcmagazine.com\/2015\/01\/20\/kevin-goodman-navigating-personal-and-business-privacy-and-cyber-security-in-the-digital-age\/<\/a> Happy Shopping!<\/p>\n Kevin Goodman is the managing director, partner with BlueBridge Networks, a downtown Cleveland-headquartered data-center cloud computing business. He recently appeared on FOX 8 discussing Holiday Online Shopping Tips: http:\/\/fox8.com\/2015\/11\/22\/protecting-your-credit-card-data-on-black-friday\/<\/a><\/p>\n He can be reached at (216) 367-7580, kjg@bbnllc.com<\/a> , www.kevinjgoodman.com<\/a> or www.bluebridgenetworks.com<\/a><\/p>\n![\"IMG_2467\"](\"http:\/\/74.214.25.114\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_2467-300x169.jpg\")
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