The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we engage with our family, friends, and businesses. In this intense digital age, it’s more important than ever to take precautions when online. We’ve got five top tips to browse the web safely and avoid cyber-attacks:
A strong password will keep you safe from opportunist hackers and will ultimately protect your data and identity. Stay away from obvious passwords that include your name, email address, a sequence of numbers and letters, the word ‘password’ or sequential keyboard paths. Make sure your password is long – nothing shorter than 15 characters and use a mixture of letters, numbers and characters. You could even use an online password generator tool such as Last Pass.
Many websites and apps now use something called ‘two-factor authentication.’ This is where they will ask you to provide your mobile number or email address as a secondary log in step. You will log into a website or app with your usual credentials and then a passcode will be sent to you via your chosen method. You will then have to enter this passcode before you can complete your log in. If a website or app offers this to you, we recommend you enable it.
‘Phishing’ email scams are becoming more common and sadly, more convincing. Hackers are now using from names, email subjects and email addresses that could easily be mistaken as genuine. Always ask yourself the following questions if you suspect an email may not be genuine:
Mobile devices are just as vulnerable as computers and laptops. Beware what information you hold on your mobile device. Do not save passwords as notes or text messages and do not store pictures of confidential information. Use a secure and complex pin code, make sure all your information is backed up to cloud storage and download a free malware or antivirus scanner from the app store, such as McAfee.
When you’re out and about, avoid using a public Wi-Fi network. If you absolutely need to, then we recommend avoiding logging into any accounts that would release personally identifiable information such as bank accounts or mobile phone accounts. If you’re short of data, there are plenty of network providers who offer unlimited data plans so it’s worth contacting your provider and upgrading your account for that extra layer of security.
Remember, at Thornbury Nursing Services, we’d never ask you to confirm personal information via email or text, nor would we ask you to provide passwords to systems you use with us. If you have been contacted by someone asking for personal information relating to the work you do for Thornbury Nursing Services, please call us immediately.