How to Stay Cyber Safe During the COVID-19 Situation
- Oct 8, 2020
- 3 min read
This article was adapted from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA).
Despite offices opening up and more people being allowed to return to the office, there are still some of us who will be continuing to work from home everyday or at least for a few days per week as our country slowly eases restrictions. Learn how your organization, and you as an individual can stay cyber-safe through these tips below.
How to Stay Cyber Safe from Email Extortion Scams?
How the scam works?
You receive an email claiming that your device/account has been compromised
Scammer claims to have your ‘private and confidential’ information
A ransom is demanded to keep the information private
Scammer may use your email and password from past data breaches as ‘proof’ that the email is legitimate
What should you do?
Do not make payment and delete the email immediately. To prevent unauthorised access, you should:
Set strong passwords that are long and random
Do not use personal information (e.g. NRIC) in your passwords
Use different passwords for different accounts
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) when available
Perform anti-virus scans on all your devices
Keep your software up-to-date
How to Stay Cyber Safe on Online Video Calling platforms?
Use the latest version of the application – download the app from the official website and install updates immediately when available
Secure your meeting – where possible, require registration, password access and generate a unique ID or URL for meetings. Do share the ID, URL and password with intended participants only. Remember to use a strong password as well
Manage meeting access – remove any unknown participants, and do not allow uninvited guests to enter the call
Control meeting functions – set sharing screen to admin only
Safeguard sensitive info – do not share sensitive files or hold sensitive discussions. Only enable file sharing and meeting recordings if needed
Be alert for phishing attacks – avoid clicking on suspicious links and attachments in the chat function
Update your devices – ensure that the OS and anti-virus software of the device(s) installed are updated
How to Stay Cyber Safe when working from home?
Be vigilant – be wary of COVID-19-themed emails requesting for sensitive information
Use secure networks – connect only to a secure WiFi network, and send important information over a VPN
Secure home routers – change default password and enable automatic updates for your firmware
Be alert – inform your IT team or Managed Service Provider (MSP) if any unusual activity is detected on your device
Prevent spying – after a teleconferencing session, mute the microphone and cover the camera of your device
Lock away – lock your screen if you are away from your device and shut it down when done to allow updates to be installed upon restart
How to Stay Cyber Safe when implementing a remote work policy?
Stay updated – update all VPN, network infrastructure and endpoint devices to the latest patches
Set authentication – enable multi-factor authentication for all VPN connections
Secure your systems – follow good practices guides recommended by solution providers
Audit regularly – check privileged domain and local system accounts routinely to detect unknown accounts
Spread awareness – train your staff to be cyber aware, and provide regular reminders to employees about cyber threats and preventive measures
Enforce policies – impose strict security policies such as the frequency of change and strength of passwords
Respond and recover – ensure cyber incident response and recovery plans are reviewed and can be effectively implemented
Want to find out more? Check out our cybersecurity training program here, or click the green button to contact us today!
eVantage Technology is a professional and trusted IT solutions provider, dedicated to providing exceptional service to companies in Singapore and across Asia.
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