Week one of the national cyber security awareness month is about simple steps to online safety. Whether at work or home, staying safe online is incredibly important at keeping the risk of exposure low. All devices, laptops, desktops, tablets, phones, and anything connected to the internet should be protected. It is recommended to have a firewall and an antivirus that is up-to-date with patching. This will help mitigate most attempts to thwart your security.

The most difficult step in being secure online is not just these online tools, but the chance of clicking on something that is disguised to look legitimate. When you download from a website, make sure you trust that website. In addition, do not follow advertisements or pop-ups to other websites. These could be ways of disguising a malicious website that a hacker would like you to visit. In addition to these, be careful about emails from strangers, and event friends. Phishing emails are a huge concern because it’s easy and will usually catch most people. Take the time to look at Information Security’s phishing page to learn more to keeping yourself safe.

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bts/index.cfm?&c=73699

This week starts us off with expanding awareness on topics that are important to keeping us safe online. It is everyone’s responsibility at work to be aware of threats to your accounts and devices, and how to mitigate the risk of being compromised. If you believe at any time that you have been hacked in any way contact BTS Helpdesk and Information Security. We will help remedy any event that might happen on your work computer.

For more information go to: https://staysafeonline.org/ncsam/about/