October is Cyber Security Month

The President has declared October as Cybersecurity month.  It's not a bad idea -- just like you change the batteries in your smoke detectors once a year, maybe you should review your electronic vulbnerabilities?

My top ten security tips:

1) Change your passwords.  You've had them too long, you use the same password in too many places.  Somewhere someone has hacked a site that has your username and password in plain text.  Now they are getting ready to try that username/password somewhere else.  Beat them to the punch.

2) Use a safe browser.  That means anything that's not Internet Explorer.  I prefer chrome.

3) Use 2 step verification for your email account.  If your email doesn't provide 2 step authentication consider switching.

4) Get a free credit report and review it.  You are entitled to one free report a year.  BE VERY CAREFUL!  There are man scam sites that offer free credit reports.  Go through the site I linked to, which is maintained by the US Government.

5) Upgrade your home wifi to WPA2

6) Phone security:

1. Lock your phone with a password 
2. install Lookout on it so you can find it if it's gone, 
3. make sure you have a remote wipe capability

7) (Windows only) Install a good anti-virus/malware.

8) Review your last two sets of credit card bills and actually look at them and validate each transaction.  It's common for hackers take out a small amount once to verify that they actually have a valid card, and then sell the verified number to an actual thief.

9) (expert level)Move to a secure chat client like BBM or Wickr.  Stop texting and using Facebook messenger, Google hangouts, AIM etc.

10 (expert level) use a PGP (pretty Good Protection) client like Mailvelope to start encrypting your email