In August of this year, the City was the victim of focused cybersecurity attack. A hacker successfully guessed or phished (stole) a user’s password, took control of a valid employee email account and attempted to access our resources. Our IT team identified and removed the threat.
Anyone who is online is under attack.
Your ability to identify threats and practice safe, cyber habits can mean the difference between safe online surfing and having your information stolen. Anyone can be a victim. This includes municipalities and individuals. The
cyberattack in August defines our need to constantly be aware of every single click we make online.
Win a $25 Visa gift card!
Every Tuesday in October, starting today, we’ll explore an important security topic. Each story will contain a Golden Key, a central idea to remember. After you collect all four keys, submit them to be entered into a random drawing one of two $25 Visa gift cards. More details to follow.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The HUB and Information Technology's (IT's) cybersecurity team will be sharing information all month long to address these issues.
Here are four central ideas to protect your family’s data from thieves:
1)
Backup your data in a location separate from your computer. This can be an external hard drive or a cloud-based system.
2)
Clean your machines – keep all of your software up to date. Make sure your internet-connected devices free from malware and infections. This makes the internet safer for you and more secure for everyone.
3)
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Using a second form of authentication to access your secure data is critical. You enter your primary password. To confirm the user's identification, a second factor (password) is generated from a separate source, such as cell phone. This process effectively prevents others from accessing your accounts even if they do get your password.
4)
Protect personal data – Take every opportunity to defend your data – thieves will take every opportunity to steal it from you.
Look for our articles each week in October as we explore the critical process of cybersecurity.