Pulse Tech Cybersecurity Checklist
If you have any questions on how to prepare your home and business against cybercriminal all year long, Pulse Tech can help. Contact us online or check out our electronic checklist for more ideas.
Pulse Tech tries to raise awareness for its clients so that cybersecurity becomes an integral part of your company’s DNA. It’s just as important to follow through with cyber hygiene at home, especially if you work at home and have smart speakers, TVs, and other IoT gadgets that can compromise your cybersecurity.
Take a proactive stance on protecting your home and business with this cybersecurity checklist of precautions to take throughout the year.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Data in Quarter 1?
January
Review the various accounts that you opened over the years. Include fitness apps, games, and other online accounts you no longer use. Delete as many accounts as you can find so they can’t be reused by hackers.
February
Find every device you have with an internet connection. Include gaming systems, smart devices, and TVs. Check the security to doublecheck that the software is current.
March
Go through all the accounts that you left open. How secure are your passwords? It’s time to change each password to complex combinations of numbers, letters and characters. Additionally, use a different password for every account.
How Can You Proactively Protect Your Devices in Quarter 2?
Protect your family by using the latest OS and security versions available and being mindful of tax season scams.
April
To combat the rash of ransomware attempts that hit during tax season, talk to your family about cybersecurity. If you have any questions about the validity of requests regarding your tax situation, call the IRS directly.
May
Review the security software you have on smart devices in your home. Did you properly research the software or just download the first one you found? Look for anti-virus or anti-malware programs that have great reviews and fit your budget. Be sure to download the latest versions.
June
Update the operating systems on devices in your home. For Windows XP or 7 OS, upgrade to the latest version, which is Windows 10. Cybercriminals exploit unsupported operating systems to plant viruses on your system.
What Security Challenge Will You Tackle in Quarter 3?
This quarter, look into security settings on social media, think about the impacts of working at home and invest in a password management system.
July
Talk to your family about social media use. For children with smartphones and tablets, make sure you have parental settings against inappropriate material. Check the privacy settings and warn them not to post sensitive information that could compromise their safety.
August
Working from home can be convenient, but take the necessary precautions. Many companies let you use your own devices, but that’s not always the smartest choice. If possible, use organization-owned computers and devices. Keep the security applications up to date to protect your work and personal information.
September
A password management system stores all your online passwords. This makes it easier to manage hard-to-guess passwords. Remember to change passwords throughout the year.
“Our survey results indicate that nearly one-third (31.3%) of respondents change their passwords one to two times per year. Just over one-fifth (22.4%) change their passwords more than five times per year, and 17% change their passwords every few months, or approximately three to four times per year,” according to the Digital Guardian.
What End-of-Year Tasks Help You Stay Safe in Cyberspace?
Kick off the last quarter of the hear with Cybersecurity Awareness Month and back up your data.
October
This month is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Dedicate an hour to take a cybersecurity course about how to avoid the latest threats. Document and complete any action items from this research.
“Held every October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) is a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.
November
If you plan to travel for the holidays, be careful when you use public wi-fi. Don’t check your bank or sensitive accounts at the airport or mall.
December
Perform a full backup of pictures and text files. Make sure to use a secure storage location so you don’t look pictures you took all year long.
If you have any questions on how to prepare your home and business against cybercriminal all year long, Pulse Tech can help. Contact us online or check out our electronic checklist for more ideas.
Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), IT Service Management, Team Building, IT Strategy, and Management. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) focused in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management from Humboldt University of Berlin (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin).
