October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Posted on October 23, 2023
Almost everyone conducts some type of business online – whether it’s shopping, selling, managing finances, checking emails, and more. With so much of our time spent online, it’s no surprise that cybercriminals are working harder than ever to try to steal your personal information.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it’s a great time for everyone to refamiliarize themselves with ways to reduce your risk of becoming an online victim. Here are some tips from our nation’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on ways you can guard yourself against cyber threats:
Don’t get “phished in.”
Phishing scams often use legitimate-looking emails, websites and online forms to trick you into divulging personal information. They may contain messages that use compelling language or a sense of urgency, tempting you to act before you think. Protect yourself and don’t fall for these attempts. This includes clicking on suspicious links on websites or in emails. Remember that legitimate businesses, like Hawaii State FCU, will NEVER call, text or email members asking for sensitive information, including social security numbers, passwords, account credentials or PIN codes.
Beef up your passwords.
Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, meaning that simple passwords can be easily compromised. Reduce your risk by using strong passwords. A general rule would be to use a unique password that is at least 16 characters long, random and unique for each account. Including upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols can also help strengthen your passwords.
Use multi-factor authentication.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides extra security for online accounts and apps. Examples of MFA include receiving a special code via text, or a prompt to use face ID before allowing a login.
Stay up-to-date.
Keeping your software and operating systems up-to-date is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of becoming a cyber victim. These updates often contain important security patches to protect you from potential vulnerabilities.
For more tips on preventing identity theft, visit the Protecting Your Accounts section of our website.
