Oct 19, 2023
It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Protect Your Device with the Best Apps Available
Reading time: 6 minutes
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an annual campaign held in October to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and promote good cybersecurity practices.
The campaign aims to educate individuals and organizations about various cybersecurity threats, such as: phishing attempts, ransomware, identity theft, and online fraud, and provides information on how to protect yourself from these threats.
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, organizations, government agencies, and cybersecurity professionals around the world conduct events, workshops, and training sessions to inform people about the risks associated with online activities and offer tips on how to stay safe online.
The campaign also emphasizes the importance of securing personal and sensitive information, both online safety at home and in the workplace.
The overarching goal of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is to create a safer and more secure online environment for everyone by promoting cybersecurity awareness, best practices, and the adoption of security measures to mitigate cyber threats.
Join PureTalk in celebrating National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
At PureTalk, we're celebrating National Cybersecurity Awareness Month by urging our customers to get involved with this effort in the most important ways possible: by upping your smartphone game (iPhone 15 for less than $20 a month anybody?), and...
By securing your devices
The number one way to get involved is by ensuring that your devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets, have the latest security updates and antivirus software installed.
There are lots of apps to choose from, so we've looked into those deemed the best.
There are several excellent security apps available for wireless devices (smartphones and tablets) that can help protect your device and data from various threats such as malware, phishing attacks, and unauthorized access to online accounts. Here are several of the best:
Norton Mobile Security:
Norton offers a comprehensive suite of security features for mobile devices, including antivirus protection, malware scanning, app scanning, and anti-phishing capabilities. It also includes features like remote lock, locate, and wipe to protect your data if your device is lost or stolen.
Bitdefender Mobile Security:
Bitdefender provides strong malware protection, privacy advisor to help you understand your apps' privacy risks, and anti-theft features. It also includes VPN capabilities for secure browsing over public Wi-Fi networks.
McAfee Mobile Security:
McAfee offers antivirus and anti-malware protection, performance optimization tools, app privacy check, and login protection and anti-theft features. It also includes a Wi-Fi security feature to alert you about unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Avast Mobile Security:
Avast provides antivirus protection, call blocking, app locking, and Wi-Fi security scanning. It also includes a VPN for secure browsing and a photo vault to hide sensitive photos.
Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus:
Kaspersky offers strong malware protection, anti-phishing features, and anti-theft capabilities. It also includes a background check feature to scan for vulnerabilities in installed apps.
Lookout Security & Antivirus:
Lookout provides malware and spyware protection, theft protection, and Wi-Fi security scanning. It also offers a feature called "Safe Wi-Fi" that VPN protects your data when connected to unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Sophos Intercept X for Mobile:
Sophos offers powerful antivirus and anti-malware protection, app reputation scanning, web filtering, and Wi-Fi security features. It's known for its strong security capabilities and user-friendly interface.
Avira Antivirus Security:
Avira offers antivirus and anti-malware protection, privacy advisor, anti-theft features, and identity safeguard to protect your personal information from being leaked online.
When choosing a security app, consider your specific needs, such as antivirus protection, anti-theft features, VPN capabilities, and privacy protection. Additionally, always download apps from official app stores to ensure their authenticity and security.
Security Best Practices
About Passwords....
Don't use the same password twice.
Your password should contain at least one lowercase letter, one uppercase letter, one number, and four symbols but not the following &%#@_.
If you don't use a password manager, choose something that is easy to remember and never leave a password hint out in the open or make it publicly available for hackers to see.
A note about password managers: these apps allow you to create strong passwords for each site you need to log in to, and you only need to remember one master password. If that password is also complex and strong, then your credentials are well protected. There are many password managers available, most famously Google Password Manager and Apple's iCloud Keychain.
If you forget your password, reset it.
Change your password(s) once per year as a general refresh.
And privacy settings...
Regarding social media accounts, consider reviewing your privacy settings across all of them. Avoid adding your home address, birth date, or any other personal information to decrease your risk of a security or data breach afterwards.
And apps...
Keep an eye on your apps. Your mobile device could be filled with suspicious apps running in the background or using default permissions you never realized you approved —gathering your personal information without your knowledge while also putting your identity and privacy at risk. Check your app permissions and use the “rule of least privilege” to delete what you don't need or no longer use.
And using public wi fi...
Before you connect to any public wireless hotspot be sure to confirm the name of the network and exact login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the network is legitimate. If you do use an unsecured public access point, practice good internet hygiene by avoiding sensitive activities (e.g., banking) that require passwords or credit cards.
And phishing attacks...
Know the signs of a phishing attack. These include email addresses that slightly alter the address of a trusted brand name so it looks close but it's "phishy." Be aware of awkward introductions like a “Dear Sir or Madam,” and bad spelling and grammar. These are clear indications that the communication is not coming from a professional organization. Never open links or attachments within questionable emails and immediately report potential phishing emails.
And social media...
Limit what information you post on social media. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans.
Now that you've armored up your digital defenses, protected your private information with unique passwords and multi factor authentication mfa, know to be wary of free wi fi and sensitive to data breaches (please, never open your financial accounts on coffee shop wifi!), and what to be on the lookout for regarding phishing tactics and ransomware attacks, and now that you'll never again forget to allow automatic updates on your device, you're good to go safely into this national cybersecurity awareness month! Need a new smartphone or device to go with your newfound cybersecurity skills? Shop PureTalk’s selection of the latest smartphones and plans that start at just $20/month for unlimited talk, text, and 3GB data.
Posted 6 months ago