To kick off this initiative, the division's IT Examiner, JB Brooks, offers these four helpful cybersecurity tips:
Multifactor Authentication
Enabling multifactor authentication has become an option on almost all forms of logging into a system and it should be taken advantage of – from online banking to social media accounts and beyond. The importance of multifactor authentication comes into context if usernames or passwords are ever compromised and provides an extra failsafe to protect data in the event of a potential breach of security.
Strong but Memorable Passwords
What is worse than a weak password? A password so complicated it must be written down somewhere. Minimum password protocols are becoming unnecessarily more complex. Users should strive to incorporate strong passwords with both alphanumeric upper- and lower-case letters, as well as special characters into passwords that are memorable. The key word being
memorable
. We are human and can forget long, complex strings of information. The key to success is making that string of information mean something to the user so it sticks in their mind. Doing so takes practice but will also ensure the digital keys to electronic information cannot be stolen along with a memo pad or read off a sticky note.
Patching
Patches are small adjustments to program code that can do a variety of things, including make the software more stable, more secure and add functionality. While the updates can cause some system lag at times, the security benefits of having a system with up-to-date patches cannot be overstressed. Unpatched software is responsible for some of the largest security breaches in recent history, including the 2017 Equifax breach.
Ransomware
The latest in a long history of malware techniques, Ransomware is software that encrypts or otherwise corrupts system storage in an attempt to extort money from the victim in exchange for unlocking their information. The best policy regarding Ransomware is to keep antivirus/anti-malware definitions up to date, educate staff on not inadvertently downloading malware onto their systems and take advantage of encrypted cloud-based storage and backup media for sensitive information. If a system is compromised by ransomware, all law enforcement branches advise to never pay the ransom because there is no guarantee the hijackers will release the data upon payment and some ransomware is designed to corrupt storage media with no actual means of recovery.
