Friday, April 1, 2022
Blog topics: Archive
By When it comes to cybersecurity, there’s some data we just can’t ignore.
It’s all around us, it’s embedded in the apps we use on our smartphones and it’s in our emails and text messages. It defines who we are; everything from our social security number and date of birth to the information that’s on our driver’s license or identification card (and so much more…).
As we reflect on the month of March and go into April, maybe it’s no coincidence that World Backup Day arrives on the calendar right in front of April Fool’s Day. After all, in the world of cyber, it’s about being prepared with a backup plan for protecting yourself against identify theft or preventing the loss or theft of data that’s critical to a business, school district, or local government.
What’s more, backing up your “data” means preserving your own personal memories, that is, the seemingly endless number of images and videos we’ve captured on our phones, cameras, and other mobile devices, as well as what’s stored on our laptops and desktop computers. Did you know, that by one estimate, 1.7 MB of data was created by every human every second in 2020?
If you want to gain a better understanding about the importance of cyber hygiene – by getting a feel for the types of scams that cybercriminals are using – you’ll want to take a look at
IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2022. Sure, it sounds like a recap of an intergalactic battle straight out of an “Avengers” movie, but it provides a lot of good information that’s highlighted in a way that’s helpful and straightforward, consider:
- For the Brand? Take a look at the list of the 11 most spoofed brands of 2021 -- using a phishing kit -- and then, take a peek at your email inbox. Any of those names look familiar?
- There's nothing like a phone call to say you care. The click rate for the average targeted phishing campaign was 17.8 percent, but targeted phishing campaigns that added phone calls (vishing or voice phishing) were three times more effective, netting a click from 53.2 percent of victims.
The fact is, for all the technology (and common sense) most of us possess, whether we’re at work, home or at school, data breaches can and do happen and systems fail. But, before you decide that all hope, digitally speaking, is lost, celebrate World Backup Day and whether you do it, starting today (or this weekend-don’t wait), here’s some tips to get you started, including:
- PC Magazine’s - A Beginner’s Guide to PC Backup
- The National Cybersecurity Alliance suggests following a simple, three-step process;
- If you’re a business, be sure to take a look at the CISA guide on data backup options that includes following the 3-2-1 rule.
As with all things cyber, be sure to visit our Indiana Cyber Hub website for the latest FREE cyber resources, best practices, and tips for all Hoosiers, businesses, and local governments. In addition to information for keeping your personal information secure, you’ll also find CISA’s new Shields Up site to help organizations increase their resilience to cyber attacks and protect people and property.