Cyber Security Month Tech Tip #2

Welcome again to Digital Cyber Security Month. For the entire month you will see Digital Citizens post tips that can help everyone improve their security practices online, on device and personally. Cyber Security isn't just about making sure you have an unbreakable password or the most secure firewall for your home network. Its a mental defensive posture you must take when dealing with all your interactions online and in real life (IRL). For better or for worse a large amount of our lives are on or interact with the Internet. So the more we know about protecting the accounts, data, and identity of ourselves as well as our friends and family the safer we all will be.

Check That Web Address (https only)

Everyone knows how to use a web browser. Terms like .com and www are reflexive as to how we associate companies, non profit organizations and services to the Internet. Unfortunately the early Internet was a lot more trusting than it is today. Almost everything was transferred in clear text. So if you were able to put a computer between two devices you could see everything that was being communicated between those parties. Usernames, passwords, emails, images, web pages, everything was open for anyone with enough determination and knowhow to see all your activity. So along with www and .com you should always keep https at the top of your mind.

“https” ensures that when you are using a web browser everything you receive from and send to a web server is secure and encrypted. And I can not emphasize this enough. EVERYTHING YOU PUT ON THE INTERNET SHOULD BE ENCRYPTED. Is all encrypted created equal? No. But if you are using https you can at least ensure that you are making a best effort at securing your data. So if you are logging into a web site or email, logging into your bank, viewing your kids grades at school, viewing your personal family photographs, when you look at the web browser address bar you should see https in frond of the address for the site or service you are using. It seems like a simple thing but it makes a ton of difference when it comes to protecting your personal data.

Continue to enjoy your Cyber Security Awareness Month and remember to pass on these and any other security tips to your fell Digital Citizens.


Cyber Security Tip #1

The Importance of HTTPS – Howto Geek

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