Cyber Attacks

Keith Thomas  00:02

Welcome to typical prepping the podcast for those who would like to start their own disaster preparedness plan, or those who have gotten started, but are not quite sure where or how to take the next steps. Each week I'll present a disaster preparedness topic with actionable tips and strategies that you can implement to start or grow your personal disaster preparations. Thanks for stopping by to listen today.

Keith Thomas  00:55

I'm Keith and welcome to typical prepping. In this episode, we'll be talking about cyber-attacks, and what you need to know to protect yourself or deal with such an attack. Cyber-attacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system. Cyberattacks can lead to the loss of money or the theft of personal financial and medical information. These attacks can damage your reputation and security. Cybersecurity involves preventing, detecting, and responding to cyber-attacks that can have wide-ranging effects on individuals, organizations, the community, and the nation. cyberattacks can occur in many ways, including accessing your personal computers, mobile phones, gaming systems, and other internet and Bluetooth-connected devices. Damaging your financial security, including identity theft. Blocking your access or deleting your personal information and accounts. Complicating your employment or business services or impacting transportation and the power grid.

Protect Yourself Against Cyberattacks

Keith Thomas  02:15

 You can avoid cyber risk by taking steps in advance; Limit the personal information you share online. Change your privacy settings and do not use location features. Keep software applications and operating systems up to date. Create strong passwords by using upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.  Use a password manager and two methods of verification. Watch for suspicious activity that asks you to do something right away, offers something that sounds too good to be true, or needs your personal information. Think before you click. When in doubt, do not click. Protect your home and or business using a secure internet connection and Wi-Fi network, and change passwords regularly. Don't share your pins or passwords. Use devices that use biometric scans when possible, such as fingerprint scanner or facial recognition. Check your account statements and credit reports regularly. Be cautious about sharing personal financial information such as your bank account number, social security number, or credit card number. Only share personal information on secure websites that begin with HTTPS://. Do not use sites with invalid certificates. Use a Virtual Private Network or VPN that creates a more secure connection. Use antivirus and anti-malware solutions and firewalls to block threats. Back up your files regularly in an encrypted file or encrypted file storage device. Do not click on links and text or emails from people you don't know. Scammers can create fake links to websites. And remember that the government will not call text or contact you via social media about owing money or receiving economic impact payments. Keep in mind that scammers may try to take advantage of financial fears by calling with work-from-home opportunities, debt consolidation offers, and student loan repayment plans.

During a Cyberattack

Keith Thomas  04:59

 If you know or think you're under a cyber-attack, check your credit statement for unrecognizable charges. Check your credit reports for any new accounts or loans you didn't open. Be alert for soliciting emails and social media users asking for private information. If you notice strange activity, limit the damage by immediately changing all of your internet account passwords. Consider turning off the device. Take it to a professional to scan for potential viruses and remove any that they find. Remember, a company will not call you and ask for control of your computer to fix it. This is a common scam. Let work school or other system owners know and run a security scan on your device to make sure your system is not infected or acting more slowly or inefficiently. If you find a problem, disconnect your device from the internet and perform a full system restore.
 
 

After a Cyberattack

Keith Thomas  06:11

 After a cyber-attack. Let the proper federal state and local authorities know if you believe you've been the victim of a cyber-attack. Contact banks, credit card companies, and other financial services companies where you hold accounts. You may need to place holds on accounts that have been attacked. Close any unauthorized credit or charge accounts and report that someone may be using your identity. File a report with the Office of the Inspector General, If you think someone is illegally using your social security number, and file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. They will review the complaint and refer it to the appropriate agency. File a report with the local police so there is an official record of the incident. And report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission and contact the Federal Trade Commission. If you receive messages from anyone claiming to be a federal agent. Contact additional agencies depending on what information was stolen. This could be the Social Security Administration if your social security number was compromised, or the Department of Motor Vehicles if your driver's license or car registrations been stolen. Report online crime or fraud to your local United States Secret Service, electronic Crimes Task Force, or the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Conclusion

Keith Thomas  07:48

 In conclusion, I want to remind you to use the aforementioned recommendations to protect and defend yourself from cyber-attacks. with headlines like; "Cyber-attacks: Is the big one coming soon” Or "The next cyber-attack is already underway." It's hard to discount this type of disaster. The truth is a cyber-attack can not only increase the chances of your identity being stolen, your bank account drained, or your life being ruined, Cyber-attacks could knock out the power grid. Regardless of what you may have heard or been told the power grid is very vulnerable. Imagine if the power grid were to be compromised, life as we know it would cease, due to the fact that without electricity in this modern age, our food supply, transportation, hospital services, and banking would cease to exist. This was caused the country to be thrown into total chaos and revert to a more primitive time. Cyber-attacks are an extremely real threat, both personally and worldwide. If you haven't made an emergency plan for your family, check out episode number two, The Family Emergency Communication plan, episode number three, Financial Disaster Planning, and episode number four The Basic Emergency Supply Kit. Be sure to see the show notes for those episodes and download the necessary documents to help make your plan.

Keith Thomas  09:21

 Well, folks, that's going to do it for this week. Thanks for listening and join me next week for another preparedness topic. And until then, stay safe and be prepared.

Keith Thomas  09:32

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