Kansas State University

As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ITS is hosting a discussion, Dark Tales from the Net from noon-1 p.m., Oct. 31 in the K-State Student Union Big 12 room. Free food will be served while supplies last. Chad Currier will be kicking off the discussion.

Have you ever had any of your accounts compromised (eID/password stolen, social media account hacked, banking information stolen, etc.)? Have you ever had a breakup and your ex had access to all your accounts or other private information about you? If so, come and share your experiences with us or just come and listen to the experiences of others.

The lines between our work and daily lives are becoming increasingly blurred, and it is more important than ever to be certain that smart cybersecurity practices carry over between the two. Online security is a shared responsibility.

Here are some tips that can make you safer and more secure at work and at home:

• Keep a clean machine. Having the latest security software, web browser, apps and operating system is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. Remember, mobile phones, point of sale systems and tablets need updating too!
• Lock down your login. Enable the strongest authentication tools available for your online business accounts, such as biometrics or a unique one-time code through an app on your mobile device. This security feature is also available on personal accounts such as email, bank and social media.
• Back It Up. Put in place a system – either in the cloud or via separate hard drive storage – that makes electronic copies of the vital business information on a regular basis. At home, make regular backups of all your important docs, files and photos.
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Now more than ever, employees are using their personal smart devices – such as PCs and smartphones – for work purposes. It’s important to consider where sensitive company, customer and/or employee data is being accessed and implement
  a policy to BYOD use.
• When in Doubt, Throw it Out. Whether at work or in their personal lives, employees should know not to open suspicious links in email, tweets, posts, online ads, messages or attachments – even if they know the source.
• Cybersecurity in the Workplace is Everyone’s Business. It’s not just the job of IT staff or business owner to ensure online safety at work. Creating a culture of cybersecurity includes ALL employees knowing how to protect themselves and the organization and understanding the cyber risks as the business grows or adds new
  technologies or functions.