Summary: In an age where cyberattacks are becoming more common, it’s important for both individuals and businesses to understand how to prevent a data breach. That’s the goal of Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October – to help everyone learn how to stay safe online. Every October since 2004,
Cybersecurity Awareness Month has been co-led by the
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the
National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). This collaborative effort between government and industry is designed to ensure every American understands the importance of cybersecurity – and has the resources they need to stay safe and secure online. Now in its nineteenth year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month has continued to grow, reaching consumers, small and mid-sized businesses, large corporations, educational institutions and young people across the United States.
AmTrust has a vested interest in cybersecurity, internally for our employees and externally to help both our agents and insureds understand the risks of a data breach. AmTrustCyber provides
cyber insurance coverage for certain losses incurred from a cyber attack, and we are committed to evolving our coverage as new cyber threats emerge.
Staying Safe Online during Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The 2022 theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “See Yourself in Cyber," focusing on the role all individuals and organizations play in cybersecurity. Information will be shared on how to stay safe online and make smart decisions whether at work, home or school right now, as well as in the future.
With more individuals working remotely than ever before, it's critical that people understand the importance of online safety in their homes and workplaces – wherever those workplaces may be. Today, cyber criminals have even more opportunities to strike and steal sensitive data from both individuals and companies alike.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways Cybersecurity Awareness Month helps businesses, employees, families and students protect their sensitive data with helpful information to keep in mind throughout the year.
This year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month will focus on four key behaviors instead of weekly themes as they have done in past years. These behaviors include:
Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication
When an organization implements multi-factor authentication (MFA), a user must provide two or more verification factors to access a system or an account. MFA helps reduce the likelihood that a cyber criminal can gain unauthorized access. For example, remote employees may be required to use a unique VPN to log into their work network. MFA can also be used for email accounts to help reduce business email compromises.
Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager
Cybercriminals target businesses using stolen passwords, logins and human error to access a business’s systems. From executives to new employees, everyone needs to be vigilant to keep customer and company data protected, either in the office or while traveling. Being cyber smart means taking simple actions to keep your business’s digital world secure and having a culture of diligent cybersecurity practices such as using multi-factor authentication and
strong passwords. Additionally, using a password management service to generate secure passwords that are extremely difficult to crack is a great idea. Password managers also eliminate the need for users to remember multiple passwords every time a new account is opened, and they store all passwords in a single location accessible through one master password.
Updating Software
While ignoring those “update available” prompts can be common, keeping software as up-to-date as possible is crucial to cybersecurity. These updates not only provide fixes to general issues, but they often also include security patches to help keep hackers from getting into the system. Make sure to download the update directly from the company that created the software, and when browsing websites, watch out for pop-up windows of fake updates. It’s also recommended to turn on automatic updates; many legitimate software companies offer options to regularly update software as soon as new versions become available.
Recognizing and Reporting Phishing
A
phishing attack uses email or malicious websites to infect your device with malware and viruses to collect personal and financial data. A phishing email may appear to come from someone you typically do business with. However, the email could contain format changes, an unrecognizable email address, poor grammar, syntax errors, broken links and directly asks for personal information such as account numbers, passwords, or Social Security numbers. Learn how to spot and report phishing attempts to prevent
ransomware and other malware attacks.
Cyber Insurance Coverage from AmTrustCyber
AmTrust Financial is dedicated to promoting a safer, more secure and more trusted internet. Our cyber insurance provides coverage for certain losses incurred as a result of a data breach, and we stand as your trusted partner to help you recover. To learn more, please contact us today.
This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal or business advice. Neither AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates represents or warrants that the information contained herein is appropriate or suitable for any specific business or legal purpose. Readers seeking resolution of specific questions should consult their business and/or legal advisors. Coverages may vary by location. Contact your local RSM for more information.