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October 13, 2017

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but it’s important to keep smart and secure practices top-of-mind all year long. From hacked credit bureaus to breached email accounts, our personal information is very vulnerable.

In the midst of major data breaches that affect billions of people, there’s no time like the present to refresh your approach to securing your personal information:

Use Strong Authentication

A username and password are no longer enough to lock down access to your accounts. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become standard practice for social networking, banking and other online services that collect personal data. MFA requires you to provide an additional layer of security information like a code sent via text message or app before granting you account access.

Delete Suspicious Emails

After a breach, many scammers will try to get your personal information by sending out emails and posts related to the incident. If you aren’t sure if an email is real, delete it and contact the company directly.

Update Often

When your internet connected devices offer an update, take it. Many of these updates contain critical patches that can keep you and your data safe. Look through your old apps and delete any that you do not use.

Learn more from the Department of Homeland Security.

 

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