By Chetrice Mosley Romero

Today is National Simplicity Day!

To celebrate, it's a great time to learn more about making cybersecurity simple (and easier...) to understand for you and the people in your life.

To be sure, cyber is a topic that comes with its complexities, with many components to understand and put to practice. At the same time, it’s something that’s essential for all of us, as individuals, parents, business owners, educators, students, politicians, healthcare professionals and the list only continues. And, as never before, it's important; think of it as one of the things all of us have in common, in terms of our everyday life experiences.

The Cyber Security Magazine simply notes that cybersecurity pertains to protecting data, devices, programs, systems and networks from cyber threats and attacks. Now, let’s break that down by asking where do cyber threats and attacks come from and how do they affect you?

Cybint expresses that fully 95 percent of cybersecurity breaches are actually caused by human error and regardless of your technological skill set, you could very well be a part of that statistic.

A skill-based error consists of small mistakes taking place during familiar tasks. On the other hand, decision-based errors occur when the user makes a faulty decision because there is a lack of information. Opportunity, environment and lack of awareness are all factors that play into the commonality of human error.

Now, if you previously guessed correctly that society causes cyber threats and attacks, then you probably already have a grasp on the concept that society can be the solution as well.

Ready helps explain how to deal with a cyberattack by offering tips throughout the entirety of the process, as well as helpful information related to COVID-19. Here are the simple, preventive cybersecurity steps to take:

• Have privacy settings and do not use location features.
• Keep software applications and operating systems up to date.
• Use a password manager and two-factor authentication.
• Think before you click, and when in doubt don’t click. Do not provide personal information.
• Use encrypted Internet communications.
• Protect your home and/or business with a secure Internet connection and Wi-Fi network.
• Use a stronger authentication, like a PIN or password that only you would know.
• Check your account statements and credit reports regularly.
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that creates a more secure connection.
• Use antivirus solutions, malware and firewalls to block threats.
• Regularly back up your files in an encrypted file.
• Change administrative and Wi-Fi passwords regularly.

While the goal of the lesson today is to break down the heavy and complex topic of cybersecurity, the learning doesn’t stop here. Technology and cyber are constantly evolving, so staying educated and embracing constant changes allow for safety to be a priority, personally and publicly.

Now, for homework, I invite each of you to assess cyber knowledge with one of our online safety quizzes and stay updated with our informative resources on the Indiana Cybersecurity Hub. With technology being more accessible than ever before, the end goal is to make cybersecurity not only simple, but (even more) a part of your daily routine!