Marin CyberSafe News: Cybersecurity is Emergency Readiness

In This Issue:

• Cybersecurity Readiness Essentials
• Build a Personal “Cyber Go-Bag”
• Additional Resources

From the desk of Jason Balderama, CISO, County of Marin

Preparedness is about more than natural disasters. Cyber incidents like phishing, ransomware, and identity theft can disrupt organizations, individuals, families, and friends.

National Preparedness Month is a good reminder that there are small, everyday habits that can help protect our digital lives. Let's review some tips on how to stay safe and secure in today's connected world.

Cybersecurity Readiness Essentials

Secure Your Accounts

• Use strong, unique passwords for all of your accounts. Consider using a password manager to make this easier.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an additional layer of security to each of your accounts. When you turn on MFA, you use more than a password to log in, which might mean a fingerprint, facial scan, a text message, or an authenticator app. Enable MFA anywhere and everywhere you can.
• Keep a copy of recovery codes in a safe place in case you lose access to your devices.

Back Up What Matters

• Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of files, on 2 types of media, 1 stored offline.
• Test your backups by restoring at least one important file.

Stay Alert to Scams

• Pause before clicking links or opening attachments.
• Be cautious with requests for money, login credentials, or urgent action.
• Expect an increase in scams during real emergencies. Scammers take advantage of confusion.

Keep Devices Updated

• Make sure all your computers, phones, tablets, and smart devices have regularly updated protections such as antivirus software and firewalls.
• Enable automatic updates to ensure your devices receive important security updates as they are released.

Build a Personal “Cyber Go-Bag”

• Password manager access or printed recovery codes.
• MFA backup options (authenticator app, text message, or hardware key).
• Contact list: family, financial institutions, utilities, emergency services.
• Offline copies of critical records (medical, financial, insurance).

• Phone charger and backup battery.

   

Additional Resources

• Cybersecurity basics: Ready.gov/cybersecurity 
• Fraud and identity theft help: IdentityTheft.gov

• Local preparedness: Emergency.MarinCounty.gov

Disclaimer

The information provided in Marin CyberSafe News is intended to increase people’s awareness of cybersecurity and to help them behave in a more secure manner. Links in this newsletter are provided because they have information that may be useful. The County of Marin does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in the links and neither endorses nor intends to promote the advertising of the resources listed herein. The opinions and statements contained in such resources are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions of County of Marin.

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