Five tips for staying safe during Cyber Security Awareness Month

Are you cyber safe? It’s not just about protecting yourself, but also keeping yourself informed and educated for a safer future. October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, which means it’s a great time to learn or freshen up on your cyber security knowledge. Get Cyber Safe has information and resources to keep you educated on cyber security, here’s some helpful tips:

Having a strong password is one of the most important ways you can improve your cyber security. Here’s some helpful tips to remember:

• Use unique passphrases and/or passwords with letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Store your complex passwords and passphrases in a password manager.
• Never share your passwords with anyone else.

Having good cyber security means adding extra layers to it, like multi-factor authentication. Here’s some tips:

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your accounts and devices.
• Choose a password manager that meets your needs.
• Make sure all your accounts have a strong and unique password.

3. Be aware of suspicious messages.

Receiving messages through email or texting is very common, but it’s important to be aware if the messages seem suspicious. Knowing how to spot a scam is important, here’s a couple things to keep in mind to spot a scam:

• Urgent or threatening language.
• Unusual requests for sensitive information.
• Spelling or grammar errors and unprofessional graphics.

If you have been a victim or a phishing scam, here’s some steps you can take to secure your accounts and devices:

• Change passwords and be sure to use strong and unique passwords.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). It will make it harder for cyber criminals to access your data, even if they steal your password.
• Check your device for viruses or other malware. Install anti-virus software and scan your device for viruses that may have been downloaded.

Get protection and support to help you deal with cybercrimes and associated financial losses. Access Credit Union offers cyber insurance through DigitalShield™, which provides personal cyber insurance coverage to individuals for their personal cyber risks and financial loss due to cybercrime. Learn more.

Looking for more information on cyber security? Check out these resources:

• Get Cyber Safe - a national public awareness campaign created to inform Canadians about cyber security and the simple steps they can take to protect themselves online.
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – Up-to-date information on fraud, identity theft, and scams that are affecting Canadians. 
• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security - unified source of expert advice, guidance, services, and support on cyber security for Canadians.