Live Wisely - October 31, 2024

Secure Our World: Take Action During Cybersecurity Awareness Month

By Kathie Miller

While many of us might spend time this month thinking about our list of favorite scary movies, people in information technology busy themselves with trying to help us all avoid our worst nightmares: getting hacked or having our identity stolen!

That’s because October is Cybersecurity Awareness month, though any time is always a good time to remind ourselves of small steps we can all take to help Secure Our World, which is this year’s theme.

According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance 2023 Oh Behave! report, 84% of people considered online safety a priority, yet only 38% of people use unique passwords for all their accounts, and 51% of Americans actively report cybercrimes, particularly instances of phishing.

To help us avoid cyber terrors, we reached out to our in-house experts in our IT department. Goodwin Living Director of Information Technology David Fowler offered these 10 tips we can all take to increase personal cybersecurity:

1. Be Cautious with Emails and Links: Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in emails from unfamiliar senders.
2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Create strong passwords that are unique for each account. Consider using a password manager to keep track of them.
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Whenever possible, enable two-factor authentication on your accounts.
4. Keep Software Updated: Regularly update your computer, smartphone and any other devices.
5. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communications: Ignore unsolicited phone calls, emails or online pop-up messages asking for personal information.
6. Install and Update Antivirus Software: Ensure you have reliable antivirus software installed on your devices and keep it updated.
7. Secure Your Wi-Fi Network: Use a strong password for your home Wi-Fi network and avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions.
8. Regularly Back Up Important Data: Regularly back up your important files and data to an external hard drive or a cloud storage service.
9. Be Mindful of Social Media Privacy: Adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to limit who can see your information.
10. Educate Yourself About Common Scams: Stay informed about common scams such as tech support scams, lottery scams and romance scams. Many often target vulnerable groups like older adults.

Before you settle into your couch or favorite chair to stream the next scary movie on your list, ask yourself if you’ve taken these simple steps to Secure Our World. A little can go a long way to ensure you can avoid the real-life fright of getting hacked!

As Corporate Director of Marketing & Communications, Kathie Miller provides strategic guidance and tactical support for all areas of Goodwin Living. She writes, edits and manages The Good Life blog and newsletter. Kathie joined Goodwin Living in 2014 after nearly 15 years at NPR, where she honed her skills in brand and reputation management, content marketing and internal communications. Originally from Pennsylvania, Kathie has slowly come to realize she’s lived in Arlington for more than half her life and should call herself a Virginian. She enjoys the outdoors and brings her rescue dog, Remi, to work every day. Her rescue cat, Willit, also makes an occasional office visit.