Cybersecurity tips to help employees and businesses
Protecting Against Cyber Threats is Everyone’s Responsibility
It is estimated that there is a cybersecurity breach every minute. Due to the growing number of attacks at the turn of the century, the Department of Homeland Security established an annual initiative to raise awareness around the importance of cybersecurity. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, American Labor Services would like to share some safety tips to help employers and employees protect consumer data.
“The scope of cybersecurity breaches at retailers and technology companies in recent years is a reminder that no company is too big or small to be vulnerable to a cyber threat,” said Ben Kaplan, President of American Labor. “Any company that has consumer emails, telephone numbers, social security numbers, addresses, or birthdays should hold training seminars on how to protect confidential information.”
Cyber security experts say there are several ways to shield against cyber-attacks. Here are just some solutions that could help prevent some cybercrimes:
Train Employees on Potential Threats
Companies can help prevent breaches in cybersecurity by informing employees about potential threats. Make sure that employees understand that messages may appear to come from co-workers, and that some messages may be ‘phishing’ for valuable data.
Don’t Leave Sensitive Information in the Open
Employees should never leave SSN numbers, credit card information, health or student records visible on a desk. These days, most people have smartphones that can take high quality photos from a distance and they can use it to photograph bits of important information that can later be used to steal someone’s identity.
Create an Internal Protocol
Cybersecurity experts suggest that, when possible, employees should verify whether some requests are legitimate. In other words, employees should call to verbally confirm that a co-worker sent a request to click on a link.
Make Passwords Unique
Employers and employees should avoid using the same password across multiple accounts. Furthermore, it is generally advised that passwords have a complex mix of numbers, letters, and special characters because passwords with names are more likely to be hacked.
Share Information Regularly
If an employee spots a phishing email, they should be able to document it and tell a central office about the phishing attempt. It is important that employers alert employees about the incident so they can respond appropriately, which typically means having other employees mark the message as spam.
It is important to recognize that cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. American Labor encourages employers and employees alike to openly discuss protecting private information because it could save someone you know or work with from being the victim of a hacker. For regular updates and news that concern the workplace, visit our webpage at americanlaborservices.com.
