Long weekends offer a much-needed break from work, but it's crucial to remember that cyber threats never rest. As lawyers, accountants, and busy professionals, safeguarding your digital world becomes even more essential. To help you enjoy your time off without compromising security, we've compiled concise and friendly cybersecurity tips tailored to your needs.
Bolster Password Strength: Create strong, unique passwords for each online account. Avoid common choices like "123456" or "password1." Opt for a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Consider using a password manager to generate and securely store complex passwords.
Activate Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Boost your security with MFA, which requires an extra layer of verification beyond a username and password. Whether it's through a one-time password (OTP) sent to your phone or biometric authentication, MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
Keep Software Updated: Stay one step ahead by regularly updating your devices, applications, and operating systems. Software updates often contain crucial security patches that protect against the latest threats. Enable automatic updates whenever possible for hassle-free protection.
Watch Out for Phishing / Smishing: Stay cautious of unsolicited emails, messages, sms/text or calls asking for personal information or urging you to click on suspicious links. Verify the sender's identity before sharing any sensitive data and avoid opening attachments from unknown sources. Trust your gut instincts. If it does not look or seem right, then contact the person you know directly by the number that you have on file or on a different platform.
Secure Your Wi-Fi Network: Ensure your home or office Wi-Fi network is secure before your long weekend begins. Change the default network name (SSID) and password, use the strongest encryption (WPA3), disable remote management, and consider creating a guest network. Regularly update your router's firmware for added protection.
Develop unique passwords prior to your virtual meetings: Use a unique password at your important virtual meeting and provide it to your attendees prior to joining in a different channel of communication from your standard email, such as verbally or text. Bring up the question to your password casually prior to starting your meeting to ensure that the person is not a deep fake impersonator. Or check out our additional cybersecurity tips on deep fakes by listening your our episode 1 of our podcast.
As busy professionals, your long weekends should be a time to unwind, not worry about cybersecurity. By following these concise and friendly tips, you can fortify your digital space while enjoying well-deserved breaks. Strengthen passwords, activate MFA, keep software updated, be wary of phishing attempts, and secure your Wi-Fi network. With these proactive measures in place, you can relax with peace of mind, knowing you've prioritized cybersecurity in your professional life. For a free non-obligatory IT Assessment schedule an appointment with TRIELLA, an award winning IT firm servicing the Canadian market of busy professionals and their respective firms.