Information Security Month – Tech Tip

• Social media is part of the fraud tool set — Social media sites are a great place for scammers to find out lots of personal details about you, making identity theft ever so much more easy.
• Never click and tell — This tip is so important I am copying it verbatim from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s web site!

“Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee. What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans. Disable location services that allow anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t— at any given time.”

• Stay protected while connected — If you are connecting to public WIFI somewhere, make sure to confirm the network name and procedures used to login to ensure that the network is legitimate. If the network you are using is public, practice good Internet hygiene by not performing any sensitive activities such as banking or using a credit card. Never use web sites to shop or bank that don’t start with https://.
• There is no “Delete” button on the Internet — Don’t post anything on the Internet you don’t want everyone in the world to know. Chances are, even if you delete your post, someone has already seen what you posted.
• Connect only with people you trust — While you want to be friendly, there is such a thing as being overly friendly, especially with your personal information. Be wise with who you connect to online.
• Jesus gets all the credit for the last tip — “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” Luke 6:31

Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want posted about you. Be kind with your words. We are enjoined by Paul in Colossians 4:6 to “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” I can’t think of a better, wiser way to behave on social media than this.