Cybersecurity threat levels are at an all-time high in the United States and throughout the world due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Now more than ever, it is important to be highly cautious when interacting with the Internet (web browsing, email, etc.), and to take steps to ensure your computers and personal electronic devices are updated and secure. The following are recommendations to help you remain safe and secure:
Personal Security
Beware of strange phone calls – Voice phishing or vishing is a serious cybersecurity threat designed to use fear and deceit to collect personal information and/or extract funds from unsuspecting targets. If you doubt the legitimacy of the call, don’t hesitate to hang up. You can and should verify the legitimate phone number of the purported caller’s organization and call back.
- Do not pick up or plug in abandoned USB drives – Thumb drives are often left abandoned in public places as a mechanism to spread malware. Never connect a found USB device to your computer or tablet.
- Do not scan strange QR codes – Cybercriminals are known to place QR code stickers in public places, sometimes even placing the stickers over existing legitimate QR codes in advertisements, to redirect users to malicious websites
or trigger malicious downloads. Be very careful before scanning a QR code in a public place. - Do not reply to click links in strange or unexpected text messages – Cybercriminals now leverage SMS and MMS text messages as another way to connect with targeted victims and spread malicious code. Make sure you know the person behind the text message. Think before you click any links provided in text messages.
- Personal Security Online
Question your email – Well-crafted phishing emails are a preferred infection and data collection tool for cyber criminals around the world. Make sure you know the sender of emails you receive and that the message was expected. Avoid clicking embedded links or opening email attachments unless you are confident the message is
legitimate. - Be careful where you browse and what you click – Embedded malware links in the form of banner ads and sidebar content on websites will become more prevalent, even on trusted news and content sites. Be very cautious when clicking links. Whenever possible, avoid these links and navigate directly to the websites you want to visit.
- Personal Security for Computers and Smart Devices
Update and patch all your computers and devices – Make sure all your devices are fully patched and properly updated to limit the possibility of vulnerabilities and security misconfigurations. - Use modern anti-malware software on all computers and keep it up to date – Modern advanced antimalware platforms include A.I.-based technologies that can monitor system behavior and more effectively prevent zero-day threats.
- Use multifactor authentication wherever possible – Multifactor authentication or MFA adds additional layers to the traditional username/password authentication process for computers, smart devices, websites, and other online services. MFA is the best defense against credentials theft and is available on all major websites, eCommerce platforms, and computers.
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