Week One - National Cyber Security Month Tips

Thursday, October 1, 2020
National Cyber Security Month 2020 - Week 1

If You Connect It, Protect It. Today’s technology allows us to connect around the world, to bank and shop online, and to control our televisions, homes, and cars from our smartphones. With this added convenience comes an increased risk of identity theft and Internet scams. 

Connect It – 

There are currently an estimated 4.8 billion Internet users—over 62% of the world's population is online! In 2018, there were an estimated 7 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as gaming systems, security cameras, baby monitors,  thermostats, etc., and does not include smartphones, tablets or laptops. This number will only grow, making the need to “Protect It” more important than ever.

By using smart devices which connect to the internet, you can control your home temperature, know who is at your door, lock/unlock doors, and even keep an eye on your home while you're away - all from the convenience of your smartphone. The Internet of Things or “IoT”, refers to devices that are connected to the Internet or to an Internet-connected network.  The Internet of Things (IoT) adds so much to home comfort that it is easy to overlook security vulnerabilities. 

Protect It – 

Whether it’s your computer, smartphone, television, or any other IoT networked device, the best defense is to keep your system up to date with the latest security features/updates, web browser, and operating systems. A multi-layered security plan and frequent maintenance is the best approach. One of the easiest methods is to enable automatic updates to defend against the latest risks. Please join us next week for our continuing weekly series of tips on how to protect your IoT devices!