Cyber Security: A Look Behind the Scenes
So much of what we do today takes place in the digital realm: streaming TV, smart homes, the devices we carry everywhere. It’s all connected. Banking has been transformed by the internet as well, which has made managing finances easier and more convenient. But all of these digital touchpoints come with inherent risks that require all of us to stay vigilant and adopt strong, yet?simple, digital security practices.?
Since October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, Claudio Cobian, National Capital Bank’s VP, IT Director and Information Security Officer, is sharing his four top best practices to help you #BeCyberSmart. As Claudio says, “Just one employee can lead to a compromise,” so whether you’re looking for ways to keep your business and employees secure or want to practice better digital security in your personal life, start with these simple tips:?
1. Keep software up-to-date. Since cyber security and threats are always evolving, software companies are constantly patching up newfound holes and vulnerabilities in their software. Installing the latest update as soon as it’s available (or opting in to automatic updates) is a simple way to make sure you have the latest security in place.?
2. Don’t use the same password for multiple sites. If you do, and a leak reveals your password for one service, suddenly bad actors have your password for other services, too. So everything you use should have its own unique password. Password complexity is? important, however, the longer the password, the better. But how does one keep track of? them all? Password managers like LastPass and 1Password help you create complex? passwords and easily keep track of them.?
3. Set up multi-factor authentication. Many sites and services offer something called? multi-factor authentication (MFA) as an added layer of security. With MFA, when you try? to log in, you’ll need to use a code as a second layer of security before logging in. This keeps others? from logging in to your account, and alerts you when they try, which serves as a heads up? that it’s time to change your password. Claudio recommends using an MFA app instead? of relying on text or email.?
4. Don’t mindlessly open links or attachments in email. A whopping 75% of organizations in the U.S. were targeted with a successful “phishing” attack in 2020. Phishing occurs when attackers trick targets into opening attachments, clicking links, and giving away sensitive information. Slow down, don’t click, and verify with the sender via a separate channel if you’re not sure of an email’s authenticity.?
When it comes to making sure your banking is as secure as possible, Claudio describes the agile, adaptable team working behind the scenes at NCB, he says, “We are able to react more quickly because our teams are specialized and work together on a lot of things so there are? always open lines of communication. We have a really strong in-house fraud and bank security?team that helps monitor transactions and protect customers’ accounts by looking for fraudulent or suspicious activities.”?
While our team is constantly monitoring for suspicious activity and implementing the latest cyber security practices, we also want to make sure you have the control you want in order to continue banking securely, which is why we offer advanced account capabilities including:
● Customizable account alerts?
● Dual control for accounts?
● User activity reports?
● Assignable access levels?
● RSA tokens for logins?
For more information on cyber security tips and banking securely, visit?https://www.nationalcapitalbank.com/security-and-privacy