Digital Identity

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Block Unfamiliar Phone Numbers Phone call spam has gotten much worse throughout the 2020s, with many people receiving multiple scam calls per day. Most smartphones allow specific numbers to be blocked, which is worthwhile for any number that you don’t know and aren’t expecting any calls from

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Check Your Phone For Unwanted Apps You buy a new phone already loaded with tons of apps you never asked for or approved. Sometimes, the software can be installed on your phone or computer without your knowledge. It’s a good habit to occasionally check the list of apps installed on your devices and make sure you recognize everything on there. If you see something that looks unfamiliar or you no longer use, uninstall it. Be sure to check the “permissions” for all your apps. This will tell you what the app can access and what it can do with the data it collects from you. Make sure the permissions the app requires match its purpose. If something looks suspicious, uninstall it immediately

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! When Changing Passwords, Make Sure They are Significantly Different Than the Old Ones It’s a good habit to change your passwords occasionally to keep them from being stolen or guessed. However, if your new password is similar to your old one, it will be easier to guess than if you use something completely different. Don’t just change a few numbers or letters or add one or two symbols if the rest of the password is reused. This doesn’t make your password much more difficult to guess than the one you originally had. 

    👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Avoid Participating in Online Quizzes Online quizzes have become a significant cultural trend thanks to companies like BuzzFeed. They ask questions like “Which Succession character are you?” or “Do you remember these 90s TV shows?”. However, before engaging with such quizzes, think about doing something else. The reason is that these quizzes are primarily created to gather your data and sell it to marketers, leading to more intrusive and oddly personalized ads appearing on your web browsing

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Learn how to sign out from your Google account on all devices If you have a Google account, this tip is for you. If you’re concerned about unauthorized access to your Gmail account, due to forgetting to log out from a shared computer or noticing suspicious activity, there’s an easy solution. There is a page that lets you see what devices have activity on the account and how to sign those devices out of the account. Google support has the full instructions  here . But here are the quick steps: Open Gmail. In the top right, click your photo. Click Manage your Google Account. Click Security. Under “Your devices,” click Manage all devices. Choose a device. Click Sign out. #BeCyberSafe and know what activity has happened recently. If you don’t know, you can’t protect yourself. 

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Talking to Kids about Online Security Have you ever gotten that eye roll from a 10-year-old when you try to talk to them about cybersecurity? While a lot of kids know a great deal about navigating technology, they still need guidance about safety. A good starting point is comparing being home alone to being online alone (from a parent’s or guardian’s perspective).  Home alone plan: Keep a list of emergency contacts Do not open the door to strangers Keep doors and windows locked Don’t answer the phone unless it is us Don’t climb on the furniture Mobile alone plan: Notify us about uncomfortable interactions Don’t connect with strangers Use strong passwords and auto-update apps Don’t answer messages from strangers Don’t go to sketchy websites Providing clear guidelines about what kids should or shouldn’t do online will help keep the whole family safe

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Don’t Be Afraid to Say No Social engineers prey on the good-mannered. Don’t be afraid to say no. Social engineers try to convince people to do things by preying on their urge to be good-mannered and polite. If someone asks you to give them personal information or to give them access to confidential information, don’t be afraid to be direct and say no. A social engineer encounter can be through telephone, email, or even in person. Anyone suspicious should be denied access until you can verify their identity. 

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Best Practices to Minimize Ransomware Risks Back up your data, system images, and configurations. Test these backups and keep them offline. Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible Keep systems updated and patched Make sure your antivirus / antimalware application is up-to-date Review and exercise your incident response plan. Yes, even as a person, you should have a plan. Just like for physical security, you and your family have discussed how to get out of the house in case of fire and where to meet outside of the home, you need a plan for cybersecurity incidents. What is the plan for troubleshooting and fixing a device? Make the plan

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Check Your Bank Account Statements Regularly This week’s tip is a reminder to check your banking and credit card accounts regularly to ensure there are no unauthorized charges or withdrawals. If you receive paper statements, shred them before throwing them away. If you use an app or another means of accessing account information, make sure access is secure. Don’t rely just on notifications you might have set up to alert you to issues. Monitor wisely. Recent events have seen an increase in the use of online shopping, mobile payments, and online banking, it’s more important than ever to watch your financial accounts for possible fraud.

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Turn off automatic Wi-Fi connection on your smartphone device Most smartphones have features that save on cellular data usage. For example, phones can automatically detect previously used Wi-Fi networks and connect to them when within range. Although you may save on data, you also risk compromising your device’s security. Public networks are less secure, therefore they are more susceptible to attacks. Prevent this issue by turning off this capability. Here’s how to do it on an iPhone: Open the Settings app. Press Wi-Fi. Select the network. Choose Auto-join Off. Here’s how to do it on an Android: Open the Settings app. Press Network & internet. Select the Wi-Fi preferences option. Toggle off Connect to open network. Personal note – it was a little more complicated on my own Android device. I had to go to Connections, select the Network to which I am currently connected, then select to turn off “Auto reconnect”. Bottom line? Make sure your mobile...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Don’t Be Truthful On Your Security Questions This might seem like unexpected advice but think about it: If someone finds key details about you online, that information may help answer the security questions for accessing an important account. Consider not being completely truthful on purpose to deceive would-be attackers. Another option is to select opinion-based questions like “What is your favorite color?”

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Online Security for Kids Our kids’ lives are online today more than ever, from socializing with friends and gaming, to online learning and education. So how can we help our kids make the most of online technology, safely and securely? Education and Communication First and foremost, make sure that you foster good open communications with your children. Far too often, parents get caught up in the technology required to block content or determining which mobile apps are good or bad. Ultimately, keeping kids safe is less about technology and more about behavior and values. A good place to start is to create a list of expectations with your kids. Here are some factors to consider (Note that these rules should evolve as kids get older.): Decide on times when they can or cannot go online for fun, and for how long. For example, you may want to be sure children complete all homework or chores before gaming online or social networking with friends, and limit...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! How to Disable Wi-Fi Auto-Connect and Bluetooth If you have used a public network, your phone will likely attempt to reconnect to that network the next time you go to that public space. By connecting to these open networks without notifying you, your phone can run the risk of allowing outside interference and surveillance. Similarly, leaving Bluetooth enabled on your device when not needed increases your visibility and allows unknown devices to connect to yours without permission, even when on separate networks. Here’s how you can disable these settings on iPhone and Android devices: iPhone: To disable wi-fi auto-connect, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Find the public network and tap the adjacent ‘i’ icon with a circle. Tap “Auto-Join” to disable it for that network. To disable Bluetooth, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Tap “Bluetooth” to disable it. Android: To disable wi-fi auto-connect, go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi. Find the publi...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Smishing – Text Messaging Scams Cybercriminals often use text messages to try and trick you into clicking on malicious links, a method known as “Smishing.” Recent reported scams include sending a fake text message that says a package is unable to be delivered to you. The text contains a link, but it may not be clickable. A security feature on many smartphones automatically disables links in unexpected messages. So, the cybercriminals will instruct you on how to bypass the feature. The message says to copy and paste the link into your browser to open it. There is a sense of urgency to the message, saying you must use the link to confirm your delivery information in 12 hours to receive your package. If you follow the instructions and open the link, you will be taken to a web page that appears to belong to the package carrier. You will be asked to enter your personal or financial information on the website. However, the website is fake, so entering yo...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Help Reduce Eye Strain All backlit screens emit blue light. While this makes them easy to see in a dark room, over-exposure can lead to eye strain. Looking at a screen right before bed can also harm your sleep patterns because the brain treats blue light as sunlight, telling your body it’s time to wake up instead of sleep. To avoid eye strain, consider taking frequent breaks and following the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, focus on something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This simple exercise can refresh the focus of your eyes and help them feel better. To fall asleep more easily, try to avoid looking at a screen too close to bedtime. The actual amount of time you need away will vary per person, but a good starting point is 30 minutes

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! If Your Connection is Strangely Slow For Long Periods, Investigate Why There are countless factors that can slow down a network connection, from failing infrastructure (both in and outside the home) to bandwidth leaks to unauthorized users sapping your connection from outside. If you frequently experience slower-than-normal internet speeds, go into your router’s settings and look for possible causes. If you suspect the problem isn’t with you but with your ISP’s external infrastructure, call them. They should be able to run a test from where they are. If they detect a problem, they’ll usually fix it rapidly and without charge, since it’s likely to affect a large area. 

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Downloading Unapproved Software Be cautious about downloading third party antivirus applications and software. Many times, when you download a new application, the manufacturer “bundles” other downloads with it. A lot of the time, unless you uncheck some boxes, they automatically download. This disrupts our CarbonBlack and sends alerts for unauthorized software. Be cautious of downloading ANY software or applications that can harm your device and our network.

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Dangers of Using Public Wi-Fi Public networks are risky because anyone can enter the network with little to no authorization. Malicious actors can take advantage of poor network security by prying on user activity, collecting confidential information, or redirecting users to unsecured webpages. If you must use public wi-fi, use a  VPN  and stick to websites beginning with “https.” Avoid sharing highly valuable data like credit card information, banking details, or social security numbers (SSN) while on a public network! Some hackers set up an impostor network posing as a legitimate public network, or even brute force their way into an administrative account on a poorly secured router. Either way, these networks are completely unsafe regardless of the user’s security measures, so they should be avoided no matter what! As a rule of thumb, use public wi-fi only as a last resort. If an urgent matter requires Internet access, consider using wi...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Spotting and Stopping Phishing Attacks Social engineering attacks, most commonly known as phishing, are delivered in many different ways. Phishing = emails. Smishing = text messaging. Vishing = voice scams or phone calls. No matter the delivery, there are common clues you can spot. Urgency : Any message that creates a tremendous sense of urgency in which attackers are trying to rush you into taking quick action and making a mistake. An example is a message claiming to be from the government, stating your taxes are overdue and if you don’t pay right away you will end up in jail. Pressure : Any message that pressures an employee to ignore or bypass company security policies and procedures. Curiosity : Any message that generates a tremendous amount of curiosity or seems too good to be true, such as an undelivered UPS package or a notice that you are receiving an Amazon refund. Tone : Any message that appears to be coming from someone you know such as ...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Don’t Fall for Misinformation Misinformation, inaccurate or false information, is used by scammers targeting social media. The idea is to make you (and everyone you share that information with) believe something that is potentially untrue. The general rule is to check and corroborate the source with reputable sources.   

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Don’t Just Throw the Old Phone Away Getting a new phone is exciting. Transferring pictures, data, and apps can be time consuming and a little frustrating. However, don’t spend all your time on the new device. Your old one needs some attention, too. You need to remove all of that personal information from that device before you get rid of it. Before you say goodbye to your old phone, follow these steps: Back It Up:  Copy all the important stuff – photos, contacts, and messages – to your computer or a cloud storage service. This way, you won’t lose anything precious. Delete, Delete, Delete:  Go through your phone and delete anything you don’t want to keep. This includes apps, photos, messages, and anything else that might contain personal information. Factory Reset:  The final step is to perform a factory reset. This wipes your phone clean, removing all your data and settings. By following these steps, you’re making sure that your pers...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Securing Your Family’s Online Activities Protect Your Loved Ones Online In today’s digital age, ensuring your family’s online safety is crucial, whether we’re talking about kids, spouses, parents, or even grandparents. Here are some key practices: Educate About Threats:  Discuss common online threats like phishing, malware, and scams with your family members. Awareness is the first line of defense. Use Strong Passwords:  Encourage everyone to use strong, unique passwords for different accounts and enable multi-factor authentication. Install Security Software:  Make sure all devices have updated antivirus software and firewalls enabled to block malicious activities. Monitor Online Activity:  Keep an eye on your children’s internet usage and set up parental controls to restrict access to inappropriate content. If grandparents aren’t tech savvy, offer to monitor their banking information online and set up alerts for unauthori...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Why 3rd-party Payment Services Are Safer Than a Credit Card When it comes to payment methods, using third-party services like Samsung Pay or Google Pay can offer enhanced security features compared to traditional credit card usage. Here’s a breakdown of why these digital wallets might be safer: 1. Tokenization Third-party payment services use tokenization, which replaces your actual card details with a unique token during transactions. This means your real card information is never shared with merchants, reducing the risk of data breaches. 2. Device-Specific Authentication Services like Samsung Pay and Google Pay require device-specific authentication methods such as fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, or PIN entry before completing a transaction. This adds an extra layer of security that physical credit cards do not provide. 3. Encrypted Transactions All transactions made through these services are encrypted from end to end. This ensures tha...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Staying Safe on Social Media Protect Your Personal Information To stay safe on social media, managing your privacy settings and being cautious about sharing personal details is essential. Avoid posting sensitive information like your home address, phone number, or financial details. Use Strong Passwords and MFA Always use strong, unique passwords for each social media account and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) when available. This adds an extra layer of security against unauthorized access. Be Wary of Phishing Scams Stay vigilant against phishing attempts by being cautious with unsolicited messages or friend requests from unknown individuals. Verify the authenticity before clicking on links or downloading attachments. By following these tips, you can significantly enhance your online safety while enjoying the benefits of social media. Stay proactive in protecting your personal information from cyber threats! 

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! How to Create a Strong Password Time and time again, we tell you to use strong passwords to protect your information. But just how do you do that?  Here are some tips to get you started: Think  passphrase, not password . Use a combination of four or five unrelated words you can easily remember but others can’t guess. For example:  “TacoRainBikeJazz!” Add complexity : Include a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters. Side note  the first letter doesn’t need to be the one capitalized   Tiger  might be easily guessed, but would  tiGer ? Keep it long : Aim for at least 12-16 characters. Avoid personal info : No names, birthdays, or obvious patterns. Example:  “Blue$Lion99@Moon”  is strong, memorable, and secure! Bonus Tip: Use a password manager to store unique passwords for every account!

    👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! How to Avoid Scams We warn about scams a lot. There are many out there, from romance scams or delivery scams, from Grandparents (or elderly) scams to tech support scams.  While these scams follow different playbooks, they have common red flags that, if you can recognize them, will help you avoid these scams. Never text back if the message was unexpected.  Don’t even tell them they have the wrong number. Hang up and call back.  If you receive an unexpected phone call from a loved one, law enforcement, or someone else claiming authority, hang up and call back through a number from your contacts list or verify through a web search. Have a safe word.  Talk to your family and agree to a safe word or phrase that could be used if someone is distressed during a phone call. If you get an unsettling phone call from a loved one, ask for the safe word. Never post this information online or send it through text or email. Refuse to pay...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Data Privacy Awareness You may not have been aware, but this past week was Data Privacy Week, a week dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses to respect privacy, safeguard data, and enable trust. It is only appropriate that this week's tip is on data privacy.  To protect your data privacy, knowing where your personal information is stored and shared is crucial. Here are some key points to consider: Know Where Your Data Is:  Regularly review the apps and services you use to understand what data they collect and how they store it. Limit Data Sharing:  Be cautious about sharing personal information online or with third-party services. Only provide necessary details and avoid oversharing. Review Privacy Settings:  Check and adjust the privacy settings on your devices, apps, and social media accounts to control who can access your information. Read Privacy Policies:  Take the time to read the privacy policies of ...

  👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Using AI Applications and Data Privacy As AI applications become more integrated into our daily activities, it’s crucial to be mindful of data privacy. Here are some tips to protect your data when using AI technologies: Limit Data Sharing:  Be cautious about the data you input into AI applications and avoid sharing sensitive information unnecessarily. Know your Data Classification:  never put sensitive or protected data into a public generative AI tool; even be very cautious of what you input into a private tool. You might know how un-private it could be.  Understand Permissions:  Review the permissions requested by AI applications and ensure they are necessary for the app’s functionality. Stay Informed:  Keep up-to-date with best practices for data privacy and AI usage. Use Trusted Sources:  Only download AI applications from reputable sources to reduce the risk of data breaches. By following these guidelines, you can...

   👋 Welcome to Digital Identity! Discounted phone, TV, or internet services if you pay with a gift card? No, it’s a scam Have you gotten a robocall about a discount on phone, TV, or internet services? Scammers are pretending to be businesses and making robocalls about “discounted services” if you pay with a gift card. It’s a scam. Here’s how the scam works so you can avoid it. You get an unexpected robocall from someone who says they’re with a company like AT&T, Spectrum, or Comcast Xfinity. They say there’s a 40-50% discount available if you act now. They might say the discount is for future bills, service bundles, or even products like a new Apple Watch  but then they say you have to buy a gift card and pay them up front by giving them the gift card numbers to secure the offer. That’s a scam. They might also ask you to confirm your account information to apply the discount, but if you do, they could use that info to hack into your account. To avoid a scam like thi...