IT Security Tip: It’s Week 4 of Cyber Security Awareness Month. Our Continuously Connected Lives: What’s Your “Apptitude”?

Quick Tip: Keep your mobile phones and apps up to date.

To App or Not to App? That is the question. These days, the Internet is a network that connects everything to everyone and there is an app for everything. It’s great but as our digital world expands, ensuring your business and personal security, safety and privacy is essential. In particular, many Internet of Things (IoT) devices are controlled via an app. While currently they are more common at home, IoT is pushing into the workplace via HVAC systems, security systems, and more. Additionally, most cloud-based file sharing solutions have apps that run on smartphones and tablets too.

Understand What’s Being Collected: Before you download that app, take time to understand what information is being collected and how it’s managed and used.

Know Where Your Data Goes: Many IoT devices send your information and store it in the cloud. Make sure you’re comfortable with the provider’s security. Do some research and ensure others have had a positive experience from a security and privacy perspective.

Keep Your Mobile Device and Apps Up To Date: Whether you’re accessing information at work or an IoT device in your home, keeping your phone, tablet and its associated apps up to date is an important security step. In some cases, you may have to manually download updates as they are not always pushed to your devices.

Pay Attention to Your Network Devices in Your Office and in Your Home: Network devices are largely ignored because users do not directly touch or interface with them and yet, these devices create the connections – wired or wireless – internally and to the Internet. Keep your network routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points up to date. In most cases, you have to download these updates. They are not automatically pushed to the device. Also, with WiFi at work and at home, use a strong password to protect access. Consider choosing a name that doesn’t let people know it’s your home or business.

We hope you’ll keep these tips in mind as we continue to transition from an Internet of connected individuals to an Internet in which everything and everyone is connected. Need help? We’re just a phone call away.