Marin CyberSafe News: See Yourself in Cyber

In This Issue

• 4 Things You Can Do

• Additional Resources

   

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

Since 2004, the President of the United States and Congress have declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, helping individuals protect themselves online as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) lead a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise cybersecurity awareness nationally and internationally.

This year’s campaign theme — “See Yourself in Cyber” — demonstrates that while cybersecurity may seem like a complex subject, ultimately, it’s really all about people.  With cyberattacks and security breaches on the rise, it is important now more than ever to educate yourself on how to stay safe online.

Let's review some simple tips that can make a big difference in keeping your accounts, systems, and data secure.

4 Things You Can Do

1. Think Before You Click: Cyber criminals use phishing emails to convince you to disclose sensitive information or open malicious links and attachments.  If a link looks a little off, think before you click.  Better safe than sorry.
2. Update Your Software Without Delay: If you see a software update notification, install it as soon as possible.  Keep your operating systems and software current on your computers, phones, tables, and other Internet-connected devices.  Turn on automatic updates and reboot when prompted.  Keep in mind, networks are usually not compromised because of brand new, 0-day vulnerabilities.  Instead, they are breached because a patch was never installed for a bug that was fixed months or even years prior.
3. Use Strong Passwords: Use unique and strong passwords for every site. Use passphrases instead of passwords to make them easier to remember and more secure.  When possible, consider using a password manager and let it invent and remember strong passwords for you.
4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: MFA, sometimes called two-factor authentication (2FA) or advanced authentication, makes it almost impossible for someone else to log in to your account, even if they have your password.  You trade the minor inconvenience of entering a one-time code for the huge benefit of keeping the baddies out of your stuff.  Turn this on everywhere you can!

Additional Resources

The County of Marin is proud to support cybersecurity awareness and preparedness through collaboration and engagement with our community.  Please spread the word by sharing these resources with your friends, co-workers, and family members.

• Individuals: Sign up for Marin CyberSafe News, our monthly cybersecurity newsletter, at  https://MarinCounty.org/cyber
• Organizations: The Marin Security and Privacy Council (MSPC) facilitates the sharing of cybersecurity and digital privacy information, resources, and best practices for all public and private agencies in Marin, with the goal of increasing awareness and helping prevent cybersecurity incidents and breaches.  Join the Marin Security and Privacy Council (MSPC) at https://GoDigitalMarin.org/MSPC.  Membership is free and open to all organizations that reside or operate within Marin County.

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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