October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it’s a great time for you to declutter some areas you may have not have thought of during spring cleaning…your digital devices.
We use our phones to shop, scroll through social media, bank, and work. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and your Better Business Bureau (BBB) remind everyone that when clearing out the physical clutter, there’s probably a bunch of digital data clutter that lives on your electronic devices.
As more businesses and their employees have turned to remote working, the focus on cybersecurity and protecting sensitive information is also more critical than ever. NCSA has advice on how to keep your private information safe.
If you have a few extra hours or minutes in your day, it may be a good time to give yourself a digital makeover. Taking some simple, proactive steps will go a long way in safeguarding against any number of potentially disruptive issues – like identity theft, loss of funds or credit card fraud – that can cause mayhem by compromising your data. Take the time to put into practice a few precautionary measures and you will have greater peace of mind – not only this spring, but all year round.
NCSA and your BBB are encouraging people to check their smartphones, laptops and tablets and take a few minutes to review these tips:
Lock down your login: Security is critical to protecting accounts being used for work and for home. Ensure passphrases for each account are lengthy, unique, and safely stored. Enable 2-factor authentication on all accounts that offer it.
Update your system and software: Avoid procrastination by having the most current software, web browsers, and operating systems are some of the easiest and fastest ways to protect your most sensitive assets.
Back it up: Protect your personal and workplace data by making electronic copies – or backups – of your most important files. Use the 3-2-1 rule to help guide you: 3 backup copies, 2 different media types, and 1 offline in a separate location.
Clean up your online presence: When was the last time you used all of the apps on your phone or tablet? Do you know what the settings are on all of the social media accounts that check in with friends and family? Check up on all your accounts. Then, control your role by making sure you know who has administrative access to your accounts. Keep all of your passwords private.
Be careful what you share: Quizzes on social media are fun and keeping in touch is a necessity these days. However, questions on social media might give away too much information about you, your location or your family.
In addition to following the above-listed tips, small business owners should take time in establishing, updating and communicating policies and procedures around topics like record retention. It is also imperative that a cybersecurity strategy is in place and used by all employees. BBB has tips on BBB.org/bizhq on how to avoid online scams when working from home:
Empty your trash or recycle bin on all devices and be certain to wipe and overwrite: Simply deleting and emptying the trash isn’t enough to completely get rid of a file. You must permanently delete old files. Use a program that deletes the data, “wipes” it from your device and then overwrites it by putting random data in place of your information ‒ which then cannot be retrieved.
Various overwriting and wiping tools are available for electronic devices. For devices like tape drives, remove any identifying information that may be written on labels before disposal, and use embedded flash memory or other method to perform a full factory reset and verify that no potentially sensitive information still exists on the device.
Decide what to do with the device: Once the device is clean, you can sell it, trade it in, give it away, recycle it or have it destroyed. Note the following:
Failed drives still contain data: On failed drives, wiping often fails, too; shredding/destruction is the practical disposal approach for failed drives. Avoid returning a failed drive to the manufacturer; you can purchase support that allows you to keep it – and then destroy it.
To be “shredded,” a hard drive must be chipped into small pieces: Using a hammer to hit a drive only slows down a determined cybercriminal; instead, use a trusted shredding company to dispose of your old hard drives. Device shredding can often be the most time- and cost-effective option for disposing of a large number of drives. Luckily, your BBB is about to host our next biannual Shred Day, which includes hard drive destruction.
BBB’s Shred Day: Secure Your ID
BBB is hosting Shred Day along with community partners on Saturday, October 22nd from 9:00am to Noon in Chattanooga Coca Cola Bottling Co’s parking lot at 2111 W. Shepherd Rd, Chattanooga (take exit 1A – Airport Exit from Hwy 153). During the event, you’ll be able to receive the following free services to help you protect your identity:
Document Shredding: River City Shredding will be providing free document shredding for papers containing personally identifiable information that are ready for disposal.
Hard Drive Destruction: Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security will be on hand to accept hard drives for destruction. They’ll also accept other electronics for safe recycling.
Prescription Drug Disposal: Law Enforcement representatives will be present on behalf of the Hamilton County Coalition to take unneeded prescription drugs for safe disposal.
Please limit documents to three large trash bags per person. The shredding may end early if the shredding trucks reach full capacity, so you’re encouraged to arrive at the earlier part of the event. For more information, please visit bbb.org/chattanooga or call 423-266-6144.
Michele Mason is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.