Autumn is the perfect time to pack away your jean shorts (jorts) and take stock of how secure your personal information, devices and online accounts are.
With October being cybersecurity awareness month, we’ve compiled an easy list of small but powerful actions you can take today to protect yourself from being hacked or becoming a victim of cybercrime.
Are you ready for those pics of you in your jorts to go viral?
If not, it’s time to lock things down.
In the age of deep-fakes and highly sophisticated digital scams, artificial intelligence is making it increasingly difficult to identify fraud. It’s something the electricity industry has been taking measures to protect itself from, but it requires constant vigilance and updating to our systems. As individuals, we have to do the same to protect our personal information and devices, too.
According to Electricity Canada, in 2020, cybercrime caused damage to companies and governments to the tune of $1 trillion; but the World Bank projects cybercrime will cost $10.5 trillion in 2025. That 950 per cent increase in costs is what’s propelling governments to educate its citizens to become more cyber aware and savvy.
The Government of Canada recently launched its own Get Cyber Safe initiative, complete with a glossary on the latest terms you should know, free online workshops, a quick digital check-up survey, and blogs on how to protect yourself from telemarketing scams over the phone to how to send or receive digital gifts safely. Here are some highlights that we liked:
Have passwords gone out of fashion (like your jorts)? It’s time for passphrases!
Passphrases are longer and more memorable than traditional passwords. For extra security, they still require numbers and symbols, but can be easier to remember and make it more difficult for hackers to crack. An example of a passphrase could be: Falling4_JortsAndFlannel!
Tip: Resist reusing the same passphrases or slight variations of existing passwords across your accounts. To make it easier, use a password manager to store them safely.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is like a sweater. It adds another layer of protection.
MFA (or two-factor authentication) helps verify your identity via something you know, something you have, or something you are. If your password was ever leaked in a data breach, hackers would still need that second factor.
Tip: Use this two-step process to protect your email and bank account logins. For MyAccount, your Hydro Ottawa online account, you can turn on two-factor authentication in a few easy clicks to secure your bills and consumption history.
Update and protect your devices before the winter freeze sets in and you get frozen out.
Use anti-virus and anti-malware tools and keep operating systems, apps, firmware and your smart home devices up to date. Many updates patch unknown vulnerabilities.
Tip: If a device is old or not being used, backup your important files to a secure cloud or external drive, and decommission it with a data wipe.
Secure your connections. It’s like putting a dead-bolt on your Wi-Fi’s front door.
A lot of our personal and home devices communicate via our home Wi-Fi network. You can protect your Wi-Fi by using the firewall built into your router to block unwanted traffic trying to access your network. Out on the town? The ‘Secure your connections’ page from Get Cyber Safe recommends using a VPN when you use public Wi-Fi at the library, a coffee shop or the airport.
Tip: Want to better understand all the tech jargon like firewall, VPN and network? Head over to the government’s glossary page to help it make sense. You’ll notice there are no definitions for jorts on there!
Don’t get cat-phished. Resist the urge to take the bait.
AI has dramatically shortened the time it takes for hackers to craft convincing phishing emails. According to Electricity Canada, it used to take about 16 hours to imitate a trusted brand or company in order to trick someone into sharing personal or financial information. Now, with the help of AI, that same fraudulent message can be written in just five minutes.
Tip: Never click links or attachments in emails or texts, and watch for an urgent tone or fear tactics like “your account is going to be disconnected if you don’t click or pay now.” Always call the company’s official number to verify.
The best defense is a good (digital) offence.
Cybersecurity isn't a one-time fix; it's an ongoing effort that requires awareness and small, consistent actions. By adopting passphrases, enabling multi-factor authentication, keeping your devices updated, and being wary of phishing attempts, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of becoming a statistic in this year’s alarming $10.5 trillion cybercrime projection.
So, take a few minutes right now to check your security settings. After all, you’ve put the effort into storing those jorts away for the season, so don't let hackers dig them out and give them a permanent spot on the internet.