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Alaskans have become increasingly aware that we are targets for cyber criminals. While incidents such as the attacks on the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and the Alaska Court System have made headlines, many Alaskans deal with various forms of cyberattacks that rarely become news.
It’s not surprising given that so much of what we do anymore is connected to the internet, including our holiday shopping.
While this connectivity has brought about great conveniences, it has also made us vulnerable to online attacks and the threat is growing daily from hackers and cybercriminals.
While you are out hunting online for great deals, cyber criminals are looking for the best way to rip you off. Fake websites, malicious links, and even bogus charities can lead to money and identities being stolen. Today, cybergangs and foreign adversaries are operating from every corner of the world and they’re counting on you thinking you’re not a target.
However, it isn’t hopeless! There are several, simple, things that you can do at home and your business to vastly improve your online security. Think of it like a seatbelt or air bag in your car -- another layer of protection.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers some simple steps to help keep you safe online.
• Enable multi-factor authentication -- This means use more than a password like a verification text or email or even adding in facial or voice recognition.
• Use strong passwords -- Use a unique password that only you know. And please, don’t use PASSWORD or 123456. Use passwords with 11 or more characters and get creative with them. Lastly, don’t share them.
• Recognize and report phishing -- This is when imposters pretend to be government officials, representatives from your bank, etc. - anyone asking for your information. Exercise extreme caution in any situation where you are asked for your personal information and report attempts to steal your information to us-cert.gov/report-phishing.
Additionally, during the holiday season, you can take a few more steps to keep your money and identify safe.
Check your devices
• Make certain your device’s software is up to date and enable automatic updates.
• Check your device’s privacy and security settings to ensure you know how your information will be used and stored on the device.
• Use different and complex passwords for each device
Only shop through trusted sources
• Before providing any personal or financial information, make sure that you are interacting with a reputable, established vendor.
• Some attackers may try to trick you by creating malicious websites that appear to be legitimate. Always verify the legitimacy before supplying any information.
• Cyber criminals will often send phishing emails — designed to look like they’re from retailers — that have malicious links or that ask for you to input your personal or financial information. Think before you click on a link. If you’re unsure if an email is legitimate, type the URL of the retailer or other company into your web browser as opposed to clicking the link.
Use safe methods for purchasing
• Use a credit card as opposed to a debit card to limit your liability, as your debit card may not have the same level of protection as your credit card. Also, a debit card draws money directly from your bank account and unauthorized charges could leave you with insufficient funds.
• Frequently check your credit card and bank statements for fraudulent charges. Immediately notify your bank or financial institution if something looks wrong.
• Attackers may attempt to gather information by sending emails requesting that you confirm purchase or account information. Be wary of this. Legitimate businesses will not solicit this type of information through email.
Applying even a few of these recommendations in your online holiday shopping will help ensure you have a happy holiday. For more help to stay safe online, please visit: CISA.gov/shop-safely.
Mark Breunig serves as Cybersecurity Advisor for Alaska as part of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Region 10 (Northwest).
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