Cyber Smarts

WHAT’S NEW
Cyber Security 101 - Phishing, Vishing and Smishing

Phishing, smishing, and vishing might sound like strange words, but they're actually techniques that bad actors use to trick you into giving them your personal information - like your passwords or bank details. Let's break them down in a simple way:

Phishing: Happens mostly through emails. Imagine you get an email that looks like it's from your bank, asking you to click a link and log in. Hackers create fake websites to steal your information. Always check emails carefully, look at the address of who sent your them and don't click on suspicious links.

Smishing: This one's similar to phishing, but it happens through text messages. You might get a message asking you to click a link for a prize or warning you about a problem with your account. Just like with phishing, those links can lead to fake sites trying to get your info. Don’t click on text message links.

Vishing: This involves phone calls. Someone might call you pretending to be from a company you trust asking for your personal information. They might sound very convincing, but remember, real companies usually don't call and ask for your personal details over the phone. Call the scammer back through known numbers.

So, always be cautious with your personal information, whether you're dealing with emails, texts, or phone calls. If something seems off, it's better to check directly with the company through their official contact methods.

SECURITY ENVIRONTMENT
5 Tips you can action right now to keep yourself, your family, and your friends safe.

1. Longer passwords versus changing more often: According the 2024 National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), the days of changing passwords every 30-90 days are finally gone. The recommendation is for long mixed passwords over 8 characters. Below you can see the length of time it takes to crack a password.

   

2. Keep everything up to date: Our lives are filled with devices and operating systems. Keeping software systems up to date fixes vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

3. Don’t put your home address on luggage tags: putting your home address on your luggage or your family’s luggage can let criminals know when you are on vacation or when you are away from your home. Use business cards, or phone numbers that aren’t associated with your home address.

4. Keep personal information private: posting personal information online can expose, your family and your friends to unwanted attention or a potential hack. A good example is to not post your vacation photos while you are on vacation. The best thing is to post them after you get back.

5. Be careful of public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi hotspots can be a gold mine for the proficient hacker. If you were at Starbuck’s and wanted to use their Wi-Fi network, would you select ‘Starbucks Guest’ or ‘Google Starbucks’? (Answer is below)

   What happens is a hacker will create a fake Wi-Fi network and portal to make you login. This could be simply to steal your information or to collect information on the sites you access.

The answer is ‘Google Starbucks”, something that most people wouldn’t have selected.

What can you do? If you aren’t certain about what to select, make sure you ask the staff.

THINGS TO WATCH
ISC West - Things to watch for!

If you are heading to ISC West this year, you are in for a treat. Not only are they going to be hosting the Wallflowers at their first annual concert, but they are going to have some amazing vendors. Check out these great locations:

1. Genetec Booth #13062. Genetec will be showcasing their newest open and unified software as a service solution. They will be demonstrating how fast sites can be spun up anywhere in the world, get continuous access control, and its scalability. They will also showcase the latest 5.12 edition, which includes Sipelia communication and Mission control SOPs!!

2. SpotterRF Booth #19125. This year, SpotterRF will be releasing their Global Integration Management Center 2.0. it is an industry leading tool that brings together situational awareness, alarm management and system updates all in one platform. There will be a live preview April 10th and 11th at 11:30pm and 4pm Pacific at their booth.

3. Wallace Perimeter Security Booth #10123. Check out Wallace Perimeter Security booth where they will be showcasing the versatility of the PDXT speed gate. The PDXT boasts the highest security in a speed gate, as well as being built for demanding environments and aesthetics.

THE AI SPACE
How are bad actors using fake voices… Maybe your voice

Cybercriminals have caught on to a new fad in the AI world - Voice cloning. According to a CBS news report, cybercriminals are using this technology to clone your voice or a person you know. Imagine getting a call from a panicked friend or loved one demanding money. It only takes a minute of quality audio for a voice to be cloned with elevenlabs.io.

Protect yourself by not accepting calls from unknown numbers, letting the caller speak first, and verify the caller by calling them back on a number that you know.

LEADERSHIP CORNER
5 Tips to motivate your team?

1. Say Thank You Often: Always say ‘thank you’ for their hard work. You can write thank-you emails, give them a shout-out during meetings, or even give awards for doing a great job. This makes everyone feel special and important.

2. Make Goals Clear: Tell your team exactly what you're all trying to do and what you expect from each person. When everyone knows the plan and what their job is, they'll be more excited to work together and reach the goal.

3. Help Them Grow: Give your team chances to learn new things and get better at what they do. You can have training sessions, workshops, or let them try new projects. This shows you believe in them and their future.

4. Share the Big Picture: Talk about how everyone's work helps the whole company do well. When your team understands how important their work is, they'll feel proud and motivated to do their best.

5. Support Their Lives Outside of Work: Make sure your team can take breaks, have time off when they need it, and balance work with fun and family. When people feel like they can have a good life outside of work, they come back more ready to work hard and do well.

Links
Current news from around the industry

• Disinformation Agents Take Advantage of Recent Events (Link)

• AT&T notifies users of data breach and resets millions of passcodes (Link)

• April Fools - most popular but completely untrue stories (Fake News)

• Private security to stop auto theft in Toronto Canada (Link) 

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