Business continuity, cybersecurity tips and valuable resources

I refuse to give the coronavirus power by using it as click bait in my blog title; however, staying true to my blog, “Monitoring Matters,” I do see that education is necessary during this time of our lives. I feel that the more people understand and know what to do, the better we are prepared to handle any situation, whether that be a pandemic of any kind, a major cyberattack, etc. So, before we get started, I want to first sincerely thank you for reading my blog and I hope that you not only enjoy the content but find it helpful and useful.

In my opinion, all the security industry associations are doing a great job at keeping their members as well as the security-related press well informed about the state of our industry at this time; offering up-to-date information about business continuity; etc.

There's also a whole other aspect to contend with when it comes to this time of social distancing, quarantining and working from home: cybercriminals! In my lifetime, this is the first time for such an influx of people working digitally; I can picture it now — cybercriminals rubbing their greedy little hands together, excited to attack digitally! Think about it — if you were a cybercriminal, wouldn't you find it the best time to strike with some businesses and their employees struggling to keep “business as usual,” some even digitally working for the very first time?

Additionally is the influx of scams already taking place, from people physically knocking on doors of seniors' residents pretending to be Red Cross representatives offering coronavirus testing for money and/or robbing the individual(s) to unscrupulous online offerings for products to treat or cure COVID-19 (which do not exist at this time) to phishing scams via phone, text and email.

Here are some quick “to-dos” to immediately enhance your, your business and your loved ones' security:

1. Do not post pictures of the inside of your home on social media. Working from home can feel isolating and while it seems fun and entertaining to post pics of yourself working from home, things that show up in the background of pictures gives a preview of all the valuables you own to possible robbers.
2. Change all passwords into passphrases using a series of numbers, letters and symbols. Use a password manager or write the new passphrases onto a piece of paper and keep in a secure place, such as a locked desk drawer, file cabinet or fire-proof lockbox.
3. Don't leave any accounts “open.” When you're finished with a program or website that requires a login, be sure to physically take your mouse and click to logout.
4. If you receive an email, work or personal, from someone you don't know or recognize, do not open it. Instead, send a group email or use your company's recommended communication tool, such as Slack, to ask if anyone sent out an email regarding keywords used in the subject line of the questionable email.
5. Do not open your door to strangers or people you do not know, and remind senior relatives and friends to do the same.

**Here are some FREE, reliable, valuable resources to have at your fingertips, specific to COVID-19, business continuity, scams, best practices, etc

• ASIS International - Disease Outbreak: Security Resources
• National Cyber Security Alliance - COVID-19 Security Resource Library
• Security Industry Association (SIA) - Resources for COVID-19 and Business Continuity (Offers updated information on current scams, cyber threats, remote working, disaster relief and more.)