Millennials and Generation Z are the generations most concerned about the organizations they work for being victims of a cyberattack. They are also concerned about leaving their organizations vulnerable to cyberattacks, as well as feeling less prepared to deal with such cyberattacks.
This research comes from Ernst & Young LLP (EY USA), which found that overall 53% of U.S. employees fear their organization will be the target of a cyberattack. Just over a third (34%) are concerned that they are the ones leaving their organization vulnerable because of their actions.
When it comes to Millennials and Generation Z, 58% and 64% of these generations, respectively, are worried about losing their jobs if they leave their organization. vulnerable to cyber attack.
This panic only works to make people less cyber safe, as it can lead to cyber attacks not being reported when they occur, for fear of the repercussions. With 68% of cyber attacks including a non-malicious human elementFor example, when clicking on a link in a phishing email, it is definitely best to nip this fear in the bud.
So, to boost your cyber confidence and put you in a better position to respond to cyber attacks, I’ve put together five steps you can take to make yourself (and, by extension, your business) more cyber secure.
1. Recognize phishing attempts
Phishing is a cyberattack technique that involves hackers placing “bait” in the form of an email and hoping that you accept it, whether by clicking a link, downloading a file, or helping them achieve their goal.
There are several different forms of phishing, including smishing, which is sent via text message, vishing, which is sent via a phone call, and quishing, where hackers send you QR codes in an attempt to to scan them.
These attacks are a form of social engineering, meaning that hackers use psychological tactics to try to force you to behave the way they want.
Understanding what to do if you receive a suspicious text message, email, or even phone call is crucial to stopping phishing attacks. However, given that EY US research found that only 31% of Gen Z employees feel “very confident” in their ability to identify phishing attempts, along with 51% of Millennials, it’s clear that Companies could be doing more to help their employees.
Fortunately, there are some helpful tips you can use to identify and prevent phishing attacks.
- Don’t act immediately: Phishing attacks often use language intended to inspire panic or a sense of urgency in the recipient. Even if you receive an email stating that you has to click on a link, download a file, or transfer funds, it’s important to take a moment and consider whether the message is legitimate.
- Please read the message carefully: Is it pushing you to do something urgent? Does it seem different from other emails you’ve received from this person? Are there any grammatical errors or spelling errors? Are they asking you to do something you normally wouldn’t do, such as randomly resetting your password, purchasing gift cards, or trying to move funds? These are all clues that this is a phishing scam and not a normal message.
- Check the sender: Hackers can impersonate your manager, IT department, or even CEO in an attempt to force you to help them. While your display name may be the same, your email will not be. Hover over the contact and compare it to the details you have for them. If you are still not sure, contact them directly. They will be able to confirm if it is legitimate or not.
- Check the link: If you’ve been urged to click on something, hovering over the link sent to you may reveal that it’s unreliable. Of course, hackers can and do create very similar web pages to make you believe they are legitimate, so it can be difficult to distinguish between legitimate and non-legitimate sites.
- Report the phishing attempt: When hackers try to gain access to an organization, they likely won’t succeed. fair be pointing at you. By reporting the attempted cyberattack, you will keep your company safe by warning others what they should be aware of.
By using these techniques, you will protect both yourself and your business. Plus, they can be used against everyday phishing attempts, ensuring you’re less likely to get scammed.
2. Set up multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can prevent cyber attacks by requiring you to confirm your identity using a code sent to you via text message, email, or received through an authenticator app.
Not only does it mean that you are confirmed to be logging in thanks to the code, but it will also alert your company to the fact that someone else is trying to gain unauthorized access to an account if you suddenly get MFA codes that you didn’t request. .
The importance of the AMF cannot be underestimated. For example, healthcare technology giant Change Healthcare recently suffered a cyberattack that took its sites offline. A key aspect of the cyberattack was the fact that the Citrix profile used by the hackers to gain access to Change Healthcare’s network did not have MFA enabled.
It’s not to say that the hackers couldn’t have carried out the cyberattack if MFA was active, but they could have alerted Change Healthcare to the fact that its network was compromised much earlier.
3. Use strong passwords
If you use a weak password for your work accounts, you’re not alone. Research has found that 37% of people have “Risky” Workplace Safety Habitsand nearly two in five (39%) people admit to using weak login credentials.
Passwords are the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your network. Using weak passwords may make them easier to remember, but they certainly make you less cyber secure.
If you have difficulty remembering strong passwords, it’s a good idea to use a password manager. Most browsers and even phones come with a built-in password manager that can generate strong passwords, so you don’t need to come up with anything yourself.
Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, are even make weak default passwords illegal. Over time, this could be extended even further to protect people from using insecure passwords in their workplaces.
4. Use a VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is software that encrypts your computer connection. This means that your browsing data, IP address and location, among other personal information, are kept private.
VPNs are particularly useful if you are a hybrid or remote worker, as they keep your connection to the Internet and your company network secure and private. This is doubly important if you use public Wi-Fi when you work.
Public Wi-Fi can allow other people on the network, or those running the network, to access your data over your Internet connection. By using a VPN, you prevent anyone snooping around from seeing what you’re doing.
VPNs also prevent data theft by adding an extra layer of security when sharing or sending data between users or servers. This layer of encryption helps keep prying eyes away from your device and the data stored on it, as well as any data stored on your company network.
If you’re not sure which VPN to use, check out our recommendations for the best VPNs as we break down thousands of hours of testing into clear, simple results.
5. Install software updates regularly
I get it, software pop-ups can be a pain, and sometimes it’s infinitely easier to hit “restart later,” especially when you’re in the middle of something. However, in terms of cybersecurity, these updates are vital to keeping your network secure.
The consequences of not installing software updates and patches really cannot be underestimated. One of the most infamous ransomware worms, WannaCry, was particularly devastating to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) simply because its computers, which were vital to hospital operations, were running on outdated software and had not installed a security update. of Windows.
It has been speculated that up to 70,000 devices (not only computers, but also MRI machines, operating room equipment and blood storage refrigerators) were affected by the cyberattack.
A ransomware worm is a particularly nasty piece of software that can self-replicate, meaning that once it’s on a network, it can spread quickly (and devastatingly) throughout the network. In total, WannaCry affected more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries, and the financial impact of the attack was estimated between hundreds of millions of dollars and $4 billion.
So the next time you receive an update, consider it a forced network outage, save your work, and then set your computer to update while you have a cup of coffee. When you return, the update will be installed, you’ll be up to date, and your business will be more secure.
