Data Security - Protect Your Data

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Leaving the front door of your business wide open all night would be an obvious security risk no business owner would allow.  But unless you are constantly aware of the dangers - and continually improving staff awareness - you may be inviting problems for data security.

Your company email accounts can be an open door to scams and a data security risk as well. This Email Security Checklist can help you avoid scams, viruses and ransomware that threaten your data security.

1. Is the sender address right?   Check by hovering over over the sender email address .

• Do you recognize the sender?
• Is there a zero when an 0 should be?
• Has a 1 been replaced by a ! or l?
• Are there any special characters or does the email address not look quite right?  Watch especially for a period inserted in the address - it can be hard to spot!
• Does it end in something unusual?  .ru = Russia .tr = Turkey .in = India.   An address @yahoo may be your friend - but @yahoo.ru is someone else entirely.

2. Is this an unusual request?

Banks and government offices don't ask for information online.  Check before replying If the email asks you to do something - like send your pin number or birthdate or social security number or account number.

• Contact the sender to find out if the request is legitimate.
• Don't use the phone number in the email - it may be a scam phone line.  
• Don't use the website address link in the email - that can be a scam address.
• Do Look up the phone online to verify - but be  aware that sophisticated scammers are prepared for this and will create results for you to find.  Your safest approach is the phone number on a previous bill, contract, business card or other mailing you know came from that office.

3. Is the sender asking for gift cards?

Many scams ask you to buy gift cards - to pay a bill, as a gift, to help out a friend or relative.  Get hold of the person supposedly making the request using some other means of communication - a phone number already in your phone, an email address you have used before.  

• Do not click on any links in the email.

4. Are they asking for money?

• Your grandson is in trouble and needs you to send money.  
• A friend is stranded and needs your help to get home.  
• Or you have won a contest and just need to send the money to pay taxes before you can get thousands - or millions - of dollars.  

These are probably all scams - so check carefully with the person involved or a family member - or ask your local bank for help in identifying current scams.

5. Do they want you to pay a bill?

Check before paying a bill - even if the email threatens to take action if you don't act immediately.  

• Scammers often send threatening emails or "late" notices to trick staff into paying. what looks like a legitimate bill.  
• And a new wrinkle is the email that purports to come from your boss, directing you to pay a bill.  Before you write that check, give the boss a call.  He or she will appreciate your attention to detail.

6. Is this an urgent request?

Like mom said, "haste makes waste."  If the email suggests you must act fast, take a second look, ask a co-worker or friend and think twice about complying.

7. Are there any suspicious looking links or attachments?

• Any link or attachment should be considered suspicious until you have verified the authenticity of the email.  
• Never click on suspicious links - you could be opening your computer up to viruses or even ransomware attacks.

8. Does your company have a policy about this sort of request?

Awareness is your best defense against scam emails - read your company policies to learn how to handle possibly fraudulent emails.

Have a technical question about scams?  Give Olympia Computer a call at 360 995-1010.