11/10/22

RECENTLY WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SPAM TEXT MESSAGES. THESE TEXT MESSAGES HAVE MADE THE CLAIM THAT YOUR DEBIT CARD IS LOCKED AND YOU NEED TO CALL THEM TO UNLOCK IT. DO NOT CALL THE NUMBER AND NEVER GIVE OUT YOUR DEBIT CARD NUMBER. THE FOLLOWING LINK HAS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TEXT MESSAGE SCAMS. 

TEXT MESSAGE PHISHING

Americans are spending more time online than ever before.  As more people use the Internet for online shopping, banking, financial management, and socializing, they also expose themselves to increased cyber risks.  Online threats and cyber-attacks threaten the future of our national and economic security.  Because cybersecurity is important to us, Perennial Bank is joining with the Department of Homeland Security to raise cybersecurity awareness across the Nation.

Here are a few cybersecurity tips.

• Keep a clean machine.   Keeping your internet-connected devices free from
  malware and infections makes the internet safer for you and more secure for
  everyone. Regularly scan your personal and office devices for viruses and spyware
  along with keeping your software up to date. For additional ways to protect your
  devices please visit: https://www.stopthinkconnect.org/campaigns/keep-a-cleanmachine-campaign
• Avoid oversharing online. As a young professional, it may be very exciting to share
  what you do at work with others. Remember your organization’s security standards
  and be careful what you say, especially in public settings. You never know who may
  be overhearing your conversations. Also, put away your work identification or badge
  when out in public and when using public transportation. For additional tips to keep
  safe online visit: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Social%20Media%20Guide_3.pdf
• Protect your password. Create a password with eight characters or more and a
  combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and don’t make it easy to guess.
  Additionally, always opt to enable stronger authentication when available, especially
  for accounts with sensitive information including your email, medical files, or bank
  accounts. For more tips and tricks to protect your password, visit:
  https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Best%20Practices%20for%20Creating%20a%20Password.pdf
• Stay protected while connected. Before you connect to any public wireless
  hotspot – like on an airplane or in an airport, hotel, or café – be sure to confirm the
  name of the network and login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the
  network is legitimate. If devices on your network are compromised for any reason,
  or if hackers break through an encrypted firewall, someone could be eavesdropping
  on you—even in your own home on encrypted Wi-Fi. For more useful tips about
  secure Wi-Fi visit https://www.dhs.gov/be-cyber-smart/cyber-lessons
• Play hard to get with strangers. Cyber criminals will often offer a financial reward,
  threaten you if you don’t engage, or claim that someone is in need of help. Don’t
  fall for it! Keep your personal information as private as possible. Cyber criminals
  can also use social engineering with these details to try to manipulate you into
  skipping normal security protocols. For more information, please visit:
  https://www.dhs.gov/be-cyber-smart
• Report any cybersecurity incident. Report computer or network vulnerabilities
  to the National Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Center (NCCIC)
  at 1-888-282-0870, or at www.us-cert.gov/report Forward phishing emails or
  websites to NCCIC at phishing-report@us-cert.gov.
• Do your part in protecting critical infrastructure. Our nation’s critical
  infrastructure runs on the Internet. The systems that enable us to live our daily
  lives—the electrical systems, financial institutions, transportation systems, and
  more—are all dependent upon a digital ecosystem. As cybersecurity breaches
  continue to rise in frequency and scale, it is critical for all Americans to understand
  their role and take steps to protect our critical infrastructure. For more information
  on how you can help, please visit https://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Week5TipCard-%20508%20compliant_0_0.pdf
• Use the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS)
  website for resources on all things related to the cybersecurity workforce, from
  K-12 curricula, to professional development tools, NICCS is a one-stop shop with
  something for everyone. Visit https://niccs.us-cert.gov for more information today.