Computer & Cyber Safety – Safety Provisions

As a part of Safety Provisions, you need to learn about computer usage and cyber safety. Without a good cybersecurity understanding, you will be more susceptible to cyber-attacks. These are some of the guidelines that you should be aware of and follow:

1. No Company Logins on Personal Computers

While employees can enjoy the opportunity to work from home on occasion, it is important that no one saves company logins on their personal computers or laptops. This is especially true for the LastPass accounts. We cannot ensure personal computers or laptops have the same protection and security as company computers. Sometimes, this means personal computers are more susceptible to cyber threats.

Important: If you have any company login information on your computer, you should immediately delete it from your computer. Make sure that you remove the password from your saved passwords and clear your cookies. The web department can help you with this if you don't know how to do this.

2. Monthly Bitdefender Check

At the beginning of each month, your need to perform a bit defender check and a computer health check. You should be looking for a large "You are safe" text at the top of the window. If it doesn't say "You are safe," contact the web department.

To perform a check follow these steps:

1. Search Bitdefender on your computer
2. Click and open it
3. Click on "System scan" to perform a system scan.
4. This will perform a system scan. You will be able to perform all work while the scan is going on. Once it finishes, it may ask you to close some applications. Close them and the system scan will be complete.

3. Watch for Phishing Emails

A common tactic that people use to try and get your information is phishing. Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to convince individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Be on the lookout for suspicious emails. Below are some of the guidelines for identifying a phishing email.

An urgent call to action or threats - Emails will claim that you need to click a link or open an attachment immediately. This is a common trick.
An email from someone you don't recognize - It is okay to receive an email from someone you don't know, but most phishing attempts will be from outside your organization.
Suspicious links or unexpected attachments - You should never open an attachment from someone you don't know. Always check a link before opening it. Mouse over it and don't click. A yellow web address will pop up and that's the real link.
Bad spelling or grammar- If you notice bad spelling or grammar in common phrases, this is likely a sign of phishing. This is usually a result of translation errors or a deliberate attempt to circumvent filters.
Generic greetings without your name - If a company is sending you an email, they usually know your name. Take it as a warning sign that it's an imposter.

To the right is another good example of a phishing email. It uses a vague salutation (usually without your name) and asks you to act urgently to fix a problem. It also has a link in it that, at first glance, appears legitimate. But after a second glance, it doesn't look good at all.

If you do receive an email that you believe is a phishing email, you should immediately report it as a phishing email, and then delete it. Please report the email to the web department as well. This will help them identify if it is a widespread problem and if other employees need to be notified to be wary of certain emails. For more questions on this or if you are wondering if an email is safe to open, contact the web department.

4. Turn Off Your Computer Every Day

Shut down your computer every day when you leave work. Do not simply put it to sleep. Shutting it down completely will:

Extend the lifespan of the computer
Improve computer performance
Protect the computer from power surges

Security-wise, shutting down your computer is also beneficial. If you leave your computer on, while signed in, anyone can access your files and data without a password.

By being sure you put into practice each of these guidelines, you will be helping us in our effort to be secure and safe from cyber-attacks. Thank you for your help! If you need any additional help, reach out to HR or the web department.