Cybersecurity Resources

Online Shopping

Before making any online purchases, make sure the device you’re using to shop online is up-to-date.

Only shop through trusted sources
Use safe methods for purchases
Read more: https://www.cisa.gov/shop-safely

Protect Your Credit Cards

Change passwords frequently
Enable two-factor authentication
Sign up for credit monitoring
How to freeze your credit
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/capital-one-data-breach-take-these-steps-if-you-have-a-capital-one-credit-card/

Protect Against Phishing

Don't open e-mails from senders you are not familiar with
Don't click on a link inside of an e-mail unless you know it's from a trusted source
Ensure you are on the website you intend to visit; check the URL carefully
Ensure you are on a trusted website before proividing personal information
Keep your anti-malware security software up to date allowing for automatic updates
Read more: https://www.malwarebytes.com/phishing

Keeping Children Safe Online

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) suggests reviewing the following tips and resources for information to keep students cyber safe:

Protect Yourself on Public Wi-Fi

Know who to trust
Stick with HTTPS
Don't give away too much info
Limit Airdrop and file sharing
Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Read more: https://www.wired.com/story/public-wifi-safety-tips/?wpisrc=nl_cybersecurity202&wpmm=1

Protecting Your Business

Use strong passwords
Minimize the number of password attempts
Choose your password manager software wisely
Use on-screen keyboard to feed sensitive information
Be careful about backups
Educate employees
Protect consumer and employee PII
Control access to your system
Update your software regularly
Secure your networks
Control wireless access
Incident response and management
Read more: http://www.informationsecuritybuzz.com/articles/10-important-cyber-security-tips-small-business-owners/

In the Event of a Breach

Contact the IRS and law enforcement.
Report customer data theft to your local stakeholder liaison.
File a police report and contact the local Federal Bureau of Investigation office if advised to do so.
Email the Federation of Tax Administrators at StateAlert@taxadmin.org to get information on how to report victim information to the states.
Report the breach to State Attorney General for each state in which you prepare returns. (Most states require the state's respective attorney general to be notified of data breaches.)