October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

PITTSBURGH — October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Dagostino Electronic Services is committed to helping our customers stay safe online.

In its 15th year and observed every October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) was created by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NSCA) to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay more secure online.

Since its inception, NCSAM has grown exponentially, reaching consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, corporations, educational institutions and young people across the nation.

Cybersecurity begins with a simple message everyone using the internet can adopt: STOP. THINK. CONNECT.

STOP: Take security and safety precaution
THINK: Understand the consequences of your actions and behaviors online
CONNECT: Enjoy the benefits of the internet

With threats evolving quicker than ever and security breaches affecting businesses every day, cybersecurity is top of mind for Dagostino Electronic Services and its customers.

DES offers a variety of solutions to help protect data assets and systems including guest access control, secured wired and wireless access and firewalls.

Here are a few simple steps for businesses and individuals alike to stay safe online courtesy of NCSA:

• Lock down your login: Your usernames and passwords are not enough to protect key accounts like email, banking and social media. Strengthen online accounts and use strong authentication tools – like biometrics, security keys or a unique, one-time code through an app on your mobile device – whenever offered.

• Keep a clean machine: Keep all software on internet-connected devices – including personal computers, smartphones and tablets – current to reduce risk of infection from ransomware and malware.

• When in doubt, throw it out: Links in email, tweets, posts and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to compromise your information. If it looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete or, if appropriate, mark as junk.

• Back it up: Protect your valuable work, music, photos and other digital information by making an electronic copy and storing it safely. If you have a copy of your data and your device falls victim to ransomware or other cyber threats, you will be able to restore the data from a backup.

• Own your online presence: Set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It is OK to limit how and with whom you share information.

• Share with care: Think before posting about yourself and others online. Consider what a post reveals, who might see it and how it might affect you or others.

• Personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it.: Information about you, such as purchase history or location, has value – just like money. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it is collected by apps, websites and all connected devices.

Read more at StaySafeOnline.org.

Recent news from our cybersecurity partners

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