October is Cyber Security Awareness Month and this week we’re talking about website safety, starting with social media.
With so many of us using social media today, sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn make perfect targets for scams.
Here are our top 10 tips to stay safe on social media:
- Use a strong password. The longer it is, the more secure it will be.
- Use a different password for each of your social media accounts.
- Set up your security answers. This two factor authentication is available for most social media sites.
- If you have social media apps on your phone, be sure to password protect your device.
- Be selective with friend requests. If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request. It could be a fake account.
- Click links with caution. Social media accounts are regularly hacked. Look out for language or content that does not sound like something your friend would post.
- Be careful about what you share. Don’t reveal sensitive personal information ie: home address, financial information, phone number. The more you post the easier it is to have your identity stolen.
- Become familiar with the privacy policies of the social media channels you use and customize your privacy settings to control who sees what.
- Protect your computer by installing antivirus software to safeguard. Also ensure that your browser, operating system, and software are kept up to date.
- Remember to log off when you’re done.
IT Security: Our Shared Responsibility
We all have a key role to play in keeping our home computers and personal devices secure online. We also play a big part in keeping our businesses safe from cyber threats. To learn more about Cyber Security Awareness Month, check out the Get Cyber Safeand the Stay Safe Online websites.