There are a lot of programs at Centennial College, but no matter which one you’re taking, at least some of your work will be done on a computer, tablet, or other device. Outside of school, you probably rely on technology for banking, shopping, and managing daily life. But we live in a time where hacking and phishing are common threats, so it’s important to keep your personal information safe.
But making sure you don’t get scammed begins with you, so let’s start with some basic advice about keeping your data secure, and identify some of the cybersecurity threats out there, with additional advice from Marjan Zandi, the program coordinator for the Cybersecurity program at Centennial College.
Create strong passwords.
I probably don’t need to tell you that you should not pick a password like 123456, but just in case, here’s Wikipedia’s list of the most common passwords in the world. If you’re using one of those, change it now, as it will be easy for hackers to guess.
But what should you change it to? A lot of websites have password requirements, like capital letters, numbers, and symbols. While it’s important to meet those requirements, you don’t need to make it overly complicated for yourself, since that can make your password harder to remember. Instead, focus on making it really long. The longer it is, the harder it is to crack. Choose an easy phrase, like “thisismypasswordthatisreallylong” (just don’t use that exact one). A simple, memorable phrase can help keep your accounts secure without the hassle of forgetting your password. “One of the most common mistakes is reusing passwords across multiple accounts, making them vulnerable to breaches,” adds Marjan Zandi. That’s because if there’s a cybersecurity breach, and someone finds one of your passwords, they could access a bunch of different accounts of yours. And if you’re really having trouble remembering your passwords, write them down somewhere in the real world, with a pen and paper, instead of typing them up on a computer, or your phone.
“Use strong, unique passwords,” adds Marjan, “and enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible.” Multi-factor authentication is when you log into an account, and they have to send you a text, or an email with a code to input, before you can finish logging in. It seems like a bit of a pain, but when it comes to the really important stuff, like banking, the extra security is worth it.
Ignore emails and texts about packages not being delivered.
“Another common mistake is clicking on suspicious links or failing to verify the authenticity of emails, leading to phishing attacks,” says Marjan. “Phishing” is when someone tries to fool you into giving out your passwords, or convinces you to download malware (a harmful type of program), to steal your information. One way they’ll do this is by sending you messages pretending to be an official organization. There’s a common scam that really took off around Christmas a couple years ago, and to this day, I still get text messages and emails telling me I have packages that weren’t delivered, warning me that I need to click a link to submit information to complete the delivery, or else it will get sent back. We all get busy, and you might not be thinking about cybersecurity risks. But remember, if you’re not around to receive a package, most major delivery services will stick a paper notice on your door, or in your mailbox. When in doubt, reach out – contact the shipping company directly using a phone number or email address you know is real.
Don’t panic. Take a moment to think about that message.
Scam messages will try to make you act now, and think later. That’s something those package delivery scams frequently try, for example, saying “you need to input this information right now, or you’ll lose your package.” Some will pretend to be the government, the police, your bank, or even your streaming service, and attempt to fool you by saying you have to respond, enter login information, or pay a fee right now, or something bad will happen, like losing access to an important account, or even that you’ll be arrested if you don’t respond. This is a good way to tell that a message is a scam, because if there really was a problem with your account, they wouldn’t text or email you this way, and they definitely wouldn’t try to make you panic. The scammer’s goal is to get you to click a link without thinking about it.
Instead of clicking a link, go check your account yourself.
Messages like the ones I’ve talked about above are almost always fake, but if you’re really not sure, you can double-check, and still ignore the link they want you to click. If you get messages that say they’re from, for example, Amazon, UPS, your bank, or Netflix, and they tell you something’s wrong, close the message, and log into your actual account. If anything’s wrong (which it probably isn’t), you’ll see it there.
Spelling mistake? It’s probably fake.
This is an easy one. If you get a text or an email that says it’s from a company, the government, or anything else official, take a second to read it. If there’s even one spelling or grammar problem, assume it’s fake. A message from a real company would get looked at by an editor before it went out, and they’d catch mistakes. Be sure to check the fine print at the bottom of an email, too!
Always do your updates.
“Be cautious of unsolicited emails or links, and always update your devices and software to protect against the latest threats,” says Marjan. It’s annoying when you get those constant pop-up reminders asking you to stop what you’re doing and update your software, but there’s a reason for it, and it’s to apply security fixes to protect programs from cybersecurity attacks. So, keep your phone, computer, and other devices updated.
Keep a backup of your computer’s data.
Especially if you’re a Centennial College student, you should be keeping a copy of anything important that’s on your computer on a portable hard drive, or at least a USB stick. That way, you won’t lose anything if your computer is hacked. Or even if it’s just damaged!
Don’t do anything important on public Wi-Fi that isn’t password-protected.
If you’re out in public, and you’re using your phone or laptop to do something important, like banking, check how you’re getting your internet. Free Wi-Fi is great, but if it isn’t password-protected, then it’s possible for someone else to use it to see what you’re doing, and steal information. So, use a protected network, use your phone’s data, or just wait until you get home. At Centennial College, we have our CCwSecure network, which students can use securely.
Remember, cybersecurity’s your business.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to cybersecurity is thinking that phishing and hacking won’t happen to you. Maybe you think you’re not important enough to be noticed. But cybersecurity is something everyone needs to think about, from individuals, to major corporations.
This growing need for protection has also created exciting opportunities for cybersecurity careers. Centennial College’s Cybersecurity program can help you get the cybersecurity training you need to prepare you for a professional role in this critical field. Designed for experienced learners, this one-year graduate certificate provides hands-on instruction in modern cybersecurity labs, equipping you to protect networks and systems from people and programs trying to break into them.
“Our program combines hands-on, practical training with up-to-date industry knowledge, preparing students for real-world challenges,” says Marjan. “With experienced faculty and connections to leading cybersecurity organizations, we ensure graduates are job-ready and ahead of the curve.
”But before you dive into exploring a career in cybersecurity, make sure you safeguard your own data first. And remember, always think before you click!
Written by: Anthony Geremia