October is the 7th Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month. And while cyber security and online safety require vigilance all year long, in October, we ask everyone to take some time to educate themselves and do what they can to secure the computers and devices they use and practice good online practices. The themes of the month is our shared responsibility. The Internet is a shared resource that we all play a role in protecting. The good news is that when we protect ourselves we also protect others.
The National Cyber Security Alliance urges all Americans to employ a handful of simple online safety behaviors:
- Keep security software current; A suite of security software, web browsers, and operating systems that are up-to-date is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats.
- Make passwords long and strong: Combine capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols to create a long, strong password.
- Own your online presence: When available, set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It's OK to limit who you share information with.
- Think before you act: Be wary of any communication that implores you to act immediately, offers something that sounds too good to be true, or asks for personal information.
- Protect all devices you use to go online: smart phones, gaming systems, and other web-enabled devices also need protection from viruses and malware.
Take the time to learn more visit www.staysafeonline.org or www.comcast.net/security.
Check out my recent Q & A that I did with Comcast: