Show All Answers

1. Social engineering attacks and ways to avoid them

Social engineering is when an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems. An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity. However, by asking questions, he or she may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization's network. If an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source, he or she may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the information from the first source to add to his or her credibility.  Read this article to learn more about the types of social engineering attacks and what you can do to avoid them.

2. How to Completely Wipe All Data From Your Computer?

Whether you’re selling it, trashing it, or reusing it, your old computer has a bunch of extremely private data stored inside. And there’s a good chance that tossing files in the recycling bin and hitting factory reset won't protect you. If a hacker finds the pattern your computer used to move those 0s and 1s around, they can reverse engineer the original state of your computer and pull out the goods.   To stay safe, you need to properly factory reset your computer before it ever changes hands. Follow the steps, or consider taking things a step further by hiring a professional company to ensure your data has been destroyed.        

3. Four Steps to Staying Secure

Making the most of technology safely and securely can seem overwhelming and confusing. However, regardless of what technology you are using or how you are using it, here is a short article about four simple steps that will help you stay secure.

4. Safer Internet Experience

Every website lives at a numerical IP address. Your Domain Name Server, or DNS, translates these numerical IP addresses into readable domain names (like google.com or facebook.com) we all know and remember. If your DNS settings are not working correctly, or you’re still using defaults, you may be at risk for cyber crime and performance issues.

Quad9 is a free security solution that uses DNS to protect your system against the most common cyber threats.  It takes 5 minutes to implement; you change your DNS settings to use 9.9.9.9.   It improves your system’s performance, plus, it preserves and protects your privacy. It’s like an immunization for your computer. See the Quad9 website for more information.

            

5. Improve your online safety with expert advice

Answer a few simple questions to get personalized online safety recommendations. It's confidential - no personal information is stored.

6. Plant your flag online so fraudsters can't do it for you

Many people proudly declare they avoid using the web to manage various accounts tied to their personal and financial data. The reasoning behind this strategy is as simple as it is alluring: What’s not put online can’t be hacked. But increasingly, adherents to this mantra are finding out the hard way that if you don’t plant your flag online, fraudsters and identity thieves may do it for you. Krebs on Security tells you how to ’Plant Your Flag, Mark Your Territory"

This most recent Krebs on Security article will walk you through the most important online accounts where you should plant your flag.

7. Yes, You Are A Target

Many people mistakenly believe they are not a target for cyber attackers: that they, their systems, or accounts do not have any value. This could not be further from the truth. This newsletter covers why you are a target and misconceptions you may have. This article explains some of the reasons cyber criminals are motivated.