October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. I work for a technology company so knowing that is a must, but 2020 of all years is a great year for you, the reader, to know this as well. Most of us are working from home or trying to find a balance in the office and home office, and then many of us have our kids, and even if they aren’t online, they sure seem to be home a lot so they can quarantine. I say all this to say that, on top of everything else in your brain, it is vital that you are sharpening your cyber hygiene.
If you run a company, own a company, fit within a company or none or all of the above, it is crucial that you watch what you click, forward or say “yes” to.
Did you know:
- Nearly 1/3 of all cybersecurity breaches involve phishing. Plus, social engineering is higher than ever.
- The FBI has seen a 400% increase in cyberattacks in small-medium business since the start of the pandemic.
- Microsoft reports 4,000 calls a day to the cyber division and 30,000 COVID-themed attacks a day.
Yes, it can feel annoying to have cumbersome passwords and two-factor authentication, but you pretty please need to. And if you have or run a company, it is crucial to make sure your staff is going through user education.
Pro tip: You can “gamify” the education to get the office involved and have a little competition. There is also some amazing software out there to educate users and help them learn more if they need assistance in a certain area. And trust me, we all do! This marketing brain of mine is the first offender, and I often end up re-training on things I should already know.
I hope this has been helpful to you, the reader, and that you can nonchalantly bring up something new you have learned this Cybersecurity Awareness Month. If you do not have a strategy, ask your in-house or outsourced I.T., or you can email me and my team. Oh, and follow any of our social media as we share tips, articles and to-do’s daily.
Stephanie Clouser, chief brand officer of PCA Technology Solutions, has worked with her husband Ted at the company for more than 13 years. Stephanie’s background is in advertising and marketing, and when not working, she loves to hang out with her two kids, travel or find a new place to eat or trail to hike.
