2019 Cybersecurity resolution checklist

 

Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about cutting out fast food or making sure you get enough water intake every day. On this week’s episode of Looking to 2019, we’re talking about cybersecurity resolutions.

The need for up to date security practices and protocols (in both your personal and professional lives) will be greater than ever before in 2019. Cyberattacks are growing in frequency on national and international levels, and it is important to be prepared.

Don’t know where to start with your cybersecurity resolution checklist? Keep reading (that’s what we’re here for).

Cybersecurity Resolution 1: Reassess your social media settings

In 2018 alone, more than 65% of American adults said that they use Facebook on a regular basis on their desktop, phone or both. What started as a form of social networking has turned into a multidimensional method of payment, an avenue for business transactions, a pedestal for spreading views and beliefs and an online gallery, all rolled into the package that is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

These social media platforms carry with them a lot of personal information and must be treated as such. Luckily, each channel has recently done an overhaul of their respective security practices, so checking these has never been easier. Take the time to go through each social networking site you use (either personally or professionally) to be sure your security and privacy settings are exactly what you think they are, or what you want them to be.

Cybersecurity Resolution 2: Take a look at everything else you use, too.

Self-reflection may not be fun, but it is important, especially considering how easy it is to fall into certain habits. For example: when was the last time you changed your password, or cleared your browser of all cookies? How long has it been since you checked to make sure “you” weren’t logged in in another country across the globe? Don’t use Bluetooth but leave it on anyway? Think about these types of things when doing an overhaul of security across your devices at work and at home.

Cybersecurity Resolution 3: Be prepared for the worst.

On the home front, you want to protect yourself and your family from hackers and cyberattacks. Remember that nobody is too young to stay safe: be sure to teach your kids the importance of cybersecurity. Also, be weary of sneaky ways that hackers can get to your data, such as through wearables, apps and tablets, which usually don’t have the same security requirements attached to them.

When it comes to your business, the principles are the same, only on a grander scale. Keeping your business prepared for the worst means something different for every organization, but at a bare minimum, all companies need a rock-solid business continuity plan and disaster recovery strategy. Cyberattacks and data breaches can happen to anyone, and they will happen to you at some point. Be proactive with threat hunting efforts and have a plan in place when reacting is necessary.

Cybersecurity Resolution 4: Always be vigilant.

Did you receive an email from your boss that doesn’t sound quite right? Maybe there’s a grammatical error (where normally her grammar is flawless) or she’s asking you something out of the ordinary? Or maybe you went to log in to your online banking portal and something just didn’t feel right?

Trust your gut. These are classic phishing schemes, or the attempts by a hacker to try to trick you via email or fraudulent website into giving them your personal information or login credentials. If something doesn’t look right or feels out of the ordinary, it could be a type of cyber-attack. 

Cybersecurity Resolution 4: Stay ahead of the game.

Hackers and malignant actors are growing and changing as rapidly as the technologies themselves. Finally, a bit of good news: so are the good guys, and you can be one of them. Learn all there is to know about the newest cybersecurity trends and predictions for what to prepare for in the years to come at Secure360, the largest security, continuity, risk management and cybersecurity conference in the upper Midwest, May 14-15, 2019 at Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, MN.

 

Want another resolution to top them all? Get yourself a discount that matters! Secure your early-bird discount on Secure360 admission if you register before February 28, 2019!