Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1212207
20 PalletCentral • January-February 2020 palletcentral.com 20 PalletCentral • January-February 2020 palletcentral.com PHISHING, SMISHING & VISHING Phishing is an email that appears to be from a trusted source to get you to click on the enclosed link or attachment. Either could install malware on your network. Smishing is phishing received by text message. Vishing is phishing received by a phone call or voicemail message. • Do not click on email links until verified by phone or by forwarding the email to the supposed sender. • Do not open email attachments until verified by phone or by forwarding the email to the supposed sender. • Use the internet to find the real phone number for the organization that was to have sent the email. • Do not trust the email "sender" field. Hovering your cursor may reveal the identity of the true sender, but it is not always accurate. It could still show the spoofed email address. • Look closely at the sender's email address. It could be off by one or two letters. • Do not call the phone number provided in a text, email or voicemail message until it has been verified on the organization's website. • Do not believe the information viewed in caller ID. It could be spoofed. PASSWORDS • Passwords should be changed, at a minimum, once a year. • Passwords should be a minimum of 12 characters. Think of it as a phrase or sentence. Use a line from your favorite movie, book, or song. • Use unique passwords for sensitive accounts. • Never share your password. USB MEMORY STICKS • Avoid using free or found memory sticks. • Only buy memory sticks that are prepackaged from reputable stores. • Do not plug in a found memory stick. It could be programmed to be recognized as a keyboard, bypassing all security. NETWORK & DEVICE SAFETY • Use a passcode on your devices, not a fingerprint or facial recognition. • Install software updates (patches) right away on all devices. • Adjust the privacy settings for apps after installation and again after an update. • Only download apps from the app store. • Use caution with free apps, read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. TRAVEL & PUBLIC WIFI • Charge your devices by using a portable battery charger or by using the electrical cube with the USB cable. • Avoid using public WIFI. Use your smart-phone as a hotspot or purchase a hotspot and plan from your mobile carrier. Criminals are cloning WIFI networks of airports, hotels, and coffee shops to trick you into connecting to their malicious network. Cloned networks are difficult to detect. • If you connect your smartphone to a rental vehicle, delete your contacts from the vehicle prior to return it. Ask the rental company to show you how to do this before you leave with the vehicle. • Before selling your personal or company vehicle, or other devices with a memory, remove your sensitive information. This can often be done through a "reset" function. ONLINE SAFETY • When using cloud-based services, look for encryption at rest and encryption in transit. This protects your information on their server and while it is in transit to and from your device to their services. • Use a pop-up blocker on your computer and other devices, if available. • If you think your device has been compromised, immediately disconnect from the internet. • Before posting online, use the billboard test – if you are not willing to post the information on a billboard on the highway, do not post it online. • Only stream from paid accounts. • Only download from reputable websites. • Be cautious of free downloads, it could be pirated software or music. • Do not connect your device to your work computer. If your personal device is infected, it could infect the network. • Consider the "value exchange" before installing or using free apps or rewards programs. • Free is not always free. Companies need to generate revenue. If you are not buying their product or service, how are they making money? • Before entering personal information online, look for the green locked padlock next to the website URL. Just remember, criminals can pay for a secure website displaying the green padlock. • When searching online, look at the URL of each search result before clicking. • Remember, bad guys also buy online ads and pay for a higher search result ranking. • Avoid using single sign-on. Create username and password for each online account. Digital Hygiene Tips