Jottings from a webinar on CyberSecurity – Please Read, Learn and Share this Content
Written by Nkiruka Rosemary Iwu (Pinky)
My Notes From A Webinar…
Theme – CyberSecurity while working Remotely.
‘Stay Safe’ was the Most Common word for 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and it is Equally Important to Stay Safe Online while working Remotely.
Harmful Softwares used by Hackers have been Made centering around COVID-19.
Hackers may cause you to download a file harmful to your Computers or Devices.
A Word of Advice – Do not Use your Company’s device to watch X-rated Contents… This will pose a great risk for your Organization.
Using the same Passwords in Different Locations is Very Risky and Wrong… Example – Using the Same Passwords for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Zoom etc. This can make you prone to Hackers… Because once the Hackers can Access just one of your Accounts, they can Also try to Access Others.
Cyber-Criminals have access to loads of E-mail accounts and Also even Netflix Accounts.
Things to do while you work from Home:
“Think before You Click”
Hackers are Trying to Impersonate big Organizations like Microsoft, Like the WHO (World Health Organization), Like Facebook… All in a Bid to Put you in a Position at Risk.
Review Every Link before You Click on it.
Do not Click links directly in E-mails, Manually type out the Links in your Browser.
Cyber-Criminals are Distributing Malwares due to COVID-19
BEEF UP YOUR PASSWORDS!!
Your Passwords shouldn’t be less than 8 Characters.
Use a Combination of Upper and Lower Case Characters and Also Numbers and Special Characters.
Treat your Password like your Under Pants and Change it Frequently.
It is Important to Use a Unique Password for Every Platform you log on to.
Also is Multi-Factor Identification… Turn on Two-factor Identification for your Accounts to Beef Up Security.
Organizations Should Enforce Two-factor Verification for their Staffs’ E-mails.
To Avoid Data Loss, Assuming your Devices or Computer gets Stolen, Ensure you are Consistently Backing Up your Records, Data and Documents.
When you are in your Car, Your Laptop Should Always be in the Trunk of the Car… For Security Reasons
If your Device Gets Stolen, Have a Means to get your Data Wiped to Avoid your Data in the Wrong Hands… This is the Reason why you must Consistently Back Up.
It is Important not to use your Personal Device as your Work device. You Should have a Seperate device.
Another thing to do is to use a VPN.
A VPN software is Important.
Update your Softwares.
Make Sure you have an Anti-virus for your Computers and your Phones.
You need to have a Firewall.
Do not go into the Web without Protection.
It is important to ask your Recruiter or Employer for CyberSecurity Training and Awareness.
Do not Click on links or download attachments from Unsolicited E-mails – Even from People you know or Colleagues. Because it is Possible that the Person’s Account may have been Compromised.
Some Links are Very Very Harmful.
Do not Visit Unapproved Websites.
Cyber-Criminals just need one Person to access a Whole lot of People.
Think before You Click.
Beef Up the Security of your Passwords.
Turn on Multi-Factor Verification on Every App you use.
Again “Think before you Click.”
We need to be Extremely Careful about our CyberSecurity.
You need to Stay Safe online too.
Treat your Passwords like your Underpants cos you Do not want people to see them. Do not Give out your Passwords.
WEBINAR QUESTIONS.
Question 1 – What is the Best Strategy – Is it to have CyberSecurity in-house or Out-Source it?
Answer – it Depends on what works best for you the Organization. Organization can Out-Source it as it will reduce burden on the Company. Or they can have it in-house to Save Costs. CyberSecurity People Earn Higher than the Average Person.
Question 2 – How can one Secure the Website of an organization.
Answer – Install a Firewall to make Sure that there is Protection that Filters information to the Website.
WordPress is a Great Provider for a Website.
Question 3 – How do we know if CyberSecurity is Breached?
Answer – You see that your Account has been logged into on Various Systems.
Keep an Eye on your Logs.
Hackers are Very Boastful. They like to Brag. They can Brag about the Information they got from your Device.
Do not have the Same Passwords because your Different E-mails can be Hacked Simultaneously.
Hackers will make Sure you no longer Have Access to your Accounts.
When you are Affected, Other People in your Business line Will also be Affected.
Be Very Intentional about CyberSecurity.
The Person who hacked your Account might try to have Access to Other People you know.
Most Hackers may be Quiet about It and Just Use your Information.
Question 4 – Any App or Software to Prevent you from Being Hacked?
Answer – There are Different Protections for Different Systems.
Protect your Device with an Anti-virus.
The Story of David and Goliath was Cited
Goliath had a Small hole at the middle of head and David aimed for that hole and that is how Goliath was Defeated.
Same thing is Applicable to Hacking. A Cyber-Criminal will leverage on a Loophole.
Although you must note that there is no Such thing as 100% Security but there is Something as Being Very Difficult to Hack.
Be Very Very Hard to Hack, so that Hackers will give Up on you.
About VPNs…
From the Movie – Money Heist, Between The Bank and The Professor, There was a Tunnel that they Built.
A Communication like a Tunnel helps to Guard you.
Using a VPN helps you to Send information in a Secured Tunnel.
Question 5 – Should Companies tell the Public when they are hacked?
Answer – This is in the Law!
Because when Hacking Occurs, Data are Exposed.
Give the Relevant information to your Customers on the Level of hacking that has taken place.
All Reputable Companies Should take Ownership for what has happened.
Question 6 – Is there any Cyber Forensics to make Sure Hackers are Punished?
Answer – There are Laws in Different Countries that Punish Cyber Crimes.
There is an Arm of CyberSecurity Called Forensics.
Walmart was Hacked a while ago. But From Assessments, It wasn’t the Fault of Walmart – A Vendor Made The Hackers to have Access to Walmart’s Information.
Forensics are Actually very Expensive and not every Organization can Afford it.
This is why you need to have Back Ups, Consistently Back Up your Information.
Hacking Can Potentially Kill your Business.
A good example of the Operations of Hackers is getting Friend Requests on Facebook from People you already have as Friends… This is what Hackers do.
Question 7 – Your View on Centralization of Data From Companies like Facebook or Apple.
Answer – For Companies, If anything happens to your Account… If your Account is Breached… The Company should tell you.
When Twitter was Hacked some time back… They Asked all its Users to Change their Passwords.
Companies Compromised in Data Breach Should take Responsibility and Own Up.
Companies Should Notify their Customers when there Is a Breach
And that Rounded Up the Facebook Webinar on CyberSecurity.
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