Four Cybersecurity Habits That Can Help Keep You Safe Online

Between work emails, personal inboxes, text messages and the occasional package delivery notification, keeping up with our daily communications can feel like a full-time job. And when we're juggling multiple accounts and countless competing demands, it's easy to give incoming messages little more than a passing glance.

But it’s often those seemingly routine messages — a text from a business you frequent, an email about a package delivery or a request to update your password — that could be an attempt to steal your personal or financial information.

Cybercriminals know how easily a fraudulent message can slip through during a busy day. And they’re relying on your busy life plus their convincing tactics to get you to unknowingly give them access to your accounts.

"One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that most cyber incidents don't begin with sophisticated hacking," said Iain Leggate, assistant vice president and information security officer at Plumas Bank. "They often start with a simple email, phone call, or text message that appears legitimate."

October's Cybersecurity Awareness Month offers a timely reminder to pay attention to those everyday interactions. This year's theme, Securing the Next 250, recognizes America's 250th anniversary and encourages individuals and organizations to help build a secure digital future.

It's also an opportunity to revisit a few simple habits that can help protect your personal information, financial accounts and business.

Start with the Core Four

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages everyone to adopt four fundamental cybersecurity practices. These straightforward precautions can help reduce your exposure to common cyber threats.

#1 Recognize and report phishing 

Phishing occurs when cybercriminals use fraudulent emails, text messages or other communications to trick people into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links or sending money.

These messages may appear to come from a familiar business, government agency or financial institution. Some create a false sense of urgency, warning that your account will be suspended or that immediate payment is required.

Before responding to an unexpected request, take a moment to verify its legitimacy. Contact the organization using a phone number or website you already know and trust. Avoid using contact information or links provided in a message.

If you receive a suspicious message, report it using your email or messaging provider's reporting tools. Delete it once you've reported it.

Read more from Plumas Bank: Don’t Take the Bait When it Comes to Phishing Scams

#2 Use strong, unique passwords

Reusing passwords across multiple accounts creates unnecessary risk. If a criminal obtains your password through a data breach, they may try using it to access your other accounts.

CISA recommends creating long, random and unique passwords for every account. A password manager can generate strong passwords, securely store them and make it easier to maintain separate credentials for each service.

Prioritize your most sensitive accounts, including email, online banking and any services that store financial or personal information.

Read more from Plumas Bank: How to Create Passwords That Are Long, Strong and Memorable

#3 Enable multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds an important layer of protection by requiring additional verification when you log in.

Depending on the service, that might involve approving a notification through an authentication app, entering a one-time code or using a biometric identifier such as a fingerprint or face scan.

Enable MFA wherever it's available, particularly for email, banking and other accounts containing sensitive information. When offered a choice, phishing-resistant methods such as passkeys or security keys provide stronger protection.

And remember: Never share an unexpected authentication code or approve a login request you didn't initiate.

Read more from Plumas Bank: Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication: Extra Steps, BIG Safety ROI

#4 Keep your software updated

Software updates frequently include security patches that address vulnerabilities cybercriminals could exploit.

Enable automatic updates on your computers, smartphones, tablets and other connected devices whenever possible. Remember to update your web browsers and applications, too.

A few minutes spent installing updates can help prevent considerably more time-consuming problems later.

Read more from Plumas Bank: Update Your Software and Apps

Cybercriminals Are Getting More Convincing

As technology advances, cybercriminals continue to find new ways to deceive their targets. Artificial intelligence, for example, can help criminals create polished messages that appear to come from legitimate organizations.

"Years ago, many scam emails were easy to identify,” Leggate said. “Today, criminals use professional-looking messages, social engineering, and increasingly AI-powered techniques to appear legitimate."

Be especially cautious when a message pressures you to act immediately, requests sensitive information or asks you to change established payment instructions.

If something seems suspicious, independently verify the request before taking action.

Read more from Plumas Bank: Your Greatest Weapon Against Cyber Criminals — A Zero-Trust Mindset

Additional Cybersecurity Precautions for Business Owners

For businesses, cybersecurity deserves attention throughout the organization. A single compromised account or fraudulent payment request can create financial losses and operational disruptions.

Along with the Core Four, CISA recommends several additional precautions:

• Train employees regularly. Establish clear procedures for recognizing suspicious communications, verifying payment requests and reporting potential threats. Encourage employees to speak up whenever something seems unusual.
• Back up important data. Maintain secure backups of essential business information and test them regularly to ensure you can restore your systems when needed.
• Protect sensitive information. Encrypt important data and use system logging to help identify and investigate suspicious activity.
• Prepare for potential disruptions. Develop an incident response plan that identifies who to contact, how to secure affected systems and how essential operations will continue during an incident.

Even small businesses with limited IT resources can take meaningful steps to improve their cybersecurity preparedness.

“Technology plays an important role, but most attacks target people rather than systems,” Leggate added. “The more individuals and businesses understand current threats and safe practices, the more difficult it becomes for criminals to succeed.”

Your Community Bank Is a Cybersecurity Partner

Protecting your financial information is a shared responsibility, and your banking relationship can be an important resource.

"Community banks bring something technology can't replace — relationships," Leggate said. "We know our clients, understand their businesses and can often recognize when something doesn't look right."

Plumas Bank offers resources to help clients safeguard their financial accounts, including fraud alerts and account monitoring tools through Card Controls, educational information and Positive Pay for eligible business clients.

Familiarize yourself with the security tools available for your accounts, review your transactions regularly and contact your banker if you notice anything suspicious.

If you believe you've encountered a phishing scam, spoofing attempt or other cyber threat, prompt action is especially important.

"Stop interacting with the message, contact your bank and report what happened as soon as possible,” he advised. “Cybercriminals rely on victims delaying action because they're embarrassed or unsure. The faster we know about a potential incident, the faster we can help protect accounts.”

If you've shared account credentials, change the affected passwords through the legitimate website or app. Depending on the incident, you may also need to notify other affected financial institutions or report the incident to the appropriate authorities.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an excellent time to review your digital habits, discuss online safety with your family or employees and take advantage of available security resources.

As Leggate advises, “Verify before you trust.”

For additional cybersecurity guidance, visit CISA's Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources and explore the cybersecurity information available at Plumas Bank.

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