{"id":7079,"date":"2020-11-30T12:10:04","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T12:10:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/?p=7079"},"modified":"2021-03-10T08:47:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T08:47:57","slug":"10-cyber-security-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/10-cyber-security-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 10 Cyber Security Mistakes Your CISO Wants You To Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7079\" class=\"elementor elementor-7079\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-45e0897e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"45e0897e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2a13f229\" data-id=\"2a13f229\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-264884f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"264884f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.11.5 - 14-03-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is more important than ever to ensure that you use the internet safely to protect both yourself and the companies you work for from cyber attacks. Cyber security mistakes made by individuals are the most common cause of cybersecurity breaches. Analysis of 2019 breach reports sent to the UK\u2019s Information Commissioner\u2019s Office (ICO) shows that 90% of data breaches were caused by a cyber security mistake. That\u2019s a lot of costly mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In honour of Computer Security Day 2020, we compiled a list of the cyber security rules that everyone should know in order to stay safe and prevent data breaches.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Before we start, what is a CISO?<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A CISO, or Chief Information Security Officer is the most senior officer in an organisation who has responsibility for making sure that the organisation has proper cybersecurity protections in place, and that they are doing their best to prevent cyber attacks, or have good plans in place to deal with them when they do take place. They are also responsible for making sure that every employee knows about their cybersecurity responsibilities and how to avoid making a cyber security mistake. The following 10 rules are just some of the things that they would like you to know. You\u2019re welcome.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best rules to follow to avoid making a cyber security mistake<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Learn how to recognise the signs of a phishing email<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/johnkoetsier\/2020\/05\/11\/scammers-send-31-billion-domain-spoofing-emails-a-day-heres-how-to-protect-yourself-and-your-company\/?sh=660df4d448cb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 billion phishing emails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are sent worldwide every single day, so the chances are that you receive them fairly frequently. While you may still receive an email from a Nigerian prince asking for money in return for his undying devotion, many phishing emails today are more sophisticated. They will use branding and wording taken directly from official organisations (check out <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/the-council-tax-refund-scam\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this scam from earlier this summer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), convincing the recipient that they are legit, and increasing their chance of success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aim of these emails is to trick you into making a cyber security mistake and giving them your personal information so that they can access your accounts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay email safe:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t open an email if you think it is suspicious<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t open links or attachments in unsolicited emails<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verify the sender &#8211; check the email address is genuine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t reply to unsolicited emails<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Never share sensitive information, such as your personal information, credit card numbers, or account passwords over email to someone you don\u2019t know<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Report suspicious emails to your IT security officer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recognise the signs of a phishing email:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor spelling or grammar in the email<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Errors in the text that don\u2019t quite add up<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weird looking sender email addresses with numbers and random letters rather than names and words<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hidden domain names, and shortened links<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Create strong passwords<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weak passwords are one of the most common cyber security mistakes that lead to data breaches. Cyber criminals have a variety of ways to get hold of passwords including getting information from phishing scams, and buying stolen passwords. They are also pretty good at guessing passwords, especially when people use unimaginative passwords such as \u2018password\u2019 or \u2018123456\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are some tips to creating strong passwords:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use more than 8 characters. Try the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsc.gov.uk\/blog-post\/three-random-words-or-thinkrandom-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">three random words<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rule to create long passwords that are easy to remember<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get creative &#8211; add characters within words, or use random words and ideas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always change your password from a default password that someone else gives you (from a system administrator, to a preloaded password from the supplier)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t use common words, character combinations or easily available personal information in your passwords<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t reuse passwords &#8211; create a new password for each online account<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t create new passwords that are almost exactly the same as the last password<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Be extra careful in public places<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another common cyber security mistake is to trust public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi is free, and a great way to keep up with work while on the move, but it is also not secure. When you work on a public Wi-Fi network, it is easy for a cyber criminal to intercept confidential data using a Man-In-The-Middle attack, or even access your device.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe in public places:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t do sensitive tasks while connected to a public network, for example making payments, or sharing files<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use a VPN when you are on a public Wi-Fi network to hide your location<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. When you see a software update for your computer &#8211; do it!<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you see a pop up in the corner of your screen with a software update, make sure you download the update ASAP. Software updates fix security weaknesses in the programs and applications that you use on your devices. They are usually a response to a known threat, which is already being exploited. Not updating leaves the applications you use at risk of being attacked. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/vulnerability-chaining-gives-access-us-gov-networks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out what can happen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you don\u2019t update your programs as soon as you see the update pop up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always download an update when you see it<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Security features and programs are there to protect you<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your CISO and their team may have already added security features to your computers and work phones in order to protect the organisation\u2019s networks.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may slow you down, or be a bit annoying, but they are there to help you. For example, firewalls protect your computer against viruses, malware and other threats to the network. Download restrictions help avoid someone mistakenly downloading malware, and spam filters remove harmful emails before they reach your inbox.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t disable or override security settings on your computer or phone<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Don\u2019t browse untrusted websites<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another easily avoided cyber security mistake is browsing unsafe websites. Untrusted websites may contain spyware, and any links you click on could install malware on your computer or phone. If that device is connected to the office WiFi, it could expose the entire company. While the cat videos or funny clip someone may send you looks like harmless fun, the website they are hosted on may be anything but.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe when browsing the web:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t override the antivirus software that blocks the website<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recognise the signs of unsafe websites including unusual url endings (for example .biz)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for the <\/span><b>S<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in \u2018https\u2019 at the start of the URL, or the green padlock icon in the URL bar. Both are signs of secure sites<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Don\u2019t plug unknown USB Flash Drives into your computer<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t know who a flash drive belongs to, and can\u2019t verify that it has been stored safely, don\u2019t use it. USB flash drives can contain malware, which will be installed on your computer as soon as you plug it in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use USB flash drives safely:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If in doubt, use a new USB flash drive<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Store your USB drives in a secure place, for example in a locked drawer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t lend your USB drive or borrow one from a colleague<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find a USB flash drive, give it to your IT team to check<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Protect your phone or personal computers<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many people access their work email or other applications on their phones or personal computers so that they can stay connected outside the office. Once they connect to work applications outside the secure work network, they add a level of risk of security breach. Forgetting your device in a public place, or having it stolen while you aren\u2019t watching it will not have a happy ending.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If an infected outside device is connected to the work network, it will infect the entire network, and create havoc at work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe outside the office:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t leave your computer or phone out of your sight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only use secured networks, or use a VPN if connecting to a public network<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t take your devices out unnecessarily<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use a password or fingerprint to lock devices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a device which contains work information is stolen, report it to the IT security team immediately<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. Everyone is at risk of a cyber attack<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is only a matter of when, not if, any person is going to be a victim of some form of cybercrime. No one is too small or too insignificant to an attacker. Hackers aren\u2019t picky, they just want to benefit in some way. It is in your best interests to follow safe cyber security rules, and make it harder for cyber attackers to access your devices, accounts, or personal information.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10. Cybersecurity is everyone\u2019s responsibility<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, you read that right. Each and every member of an organisation has a responsibility for protecting the company\u2019s networks, data, and systems. Take responsibility for keeping your computer, phone, and accounts safe, and avoid a costly cyber security mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay safe:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attend the professional security training that your company organises, and apply what you learn<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow the cyber security rules listed above<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cyber security mistakes made by individuals are the most common cause of cybersecurity breaches. Learn how to avoid making these mistakes and protect your networks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":7083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[63,62],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7079"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outofsite.biz\/cynance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}