Our quiz will let you know for sure.
Sometimes the best way to learn new things is to find out how you respond to real world situations. Our quiz will let you know whether you’re more likely to keep your business safe from cyber criminals or to open the virtual door and let them in.
You get an email…
While you’re at work, you get an email from Microsoft telling you that your password is out of date. It asks you to click on a link to reset it. What do you do next?
- Ask a coworker what to do.
- Ignore the email and delete it.
- Reset your password manually.
- Click on the link to reset your password.
The best answer is to reset your password manually. This is a phishing email. It wants you to click on the link in order to launch malware that could harm your business systems and software. Reputable software companies will send a password reminder alert direct to your desktop or other device, not to your email address. Always be careful when dealing with emails. As a next step, it could be smart to tell someone who handles IT for your organization that you received the email so they can alert others to look out for it and provide information on what to do if they receive the same — or a similar — email.
Time for a new password…
It’s time to change your password. Which of the following options do you choose?
- C!e@r-7L
- Fido1357
- I7take-the>A:TRAIN!home8EveRyDay
- Password123
When it comes to passwords, the longer, more complex and varied, the better. You’re asking for trouble if you use a short one or a password that’s based on information about yourself that’s easy to find online or through social media, such as an address, pet’s name or birthday. Never use a default password. If possible, leverage a complex random password created by a reputable password generation system.
The mystery USB stick…
You’re heading to the rest room at your workplace and see a USB stick on the floor. What do you do?
- Pick it up and try to figure out who lost it.
- Ignore it.
- Give it to a receptionist.
- Plug it into your computer to find out what’s on it.
The best thing to do is hand it to a receptionist. They should then give it to an IT expert. USB devices often contain malware that could harm your computer and business network. You never know if the stick was left on the floor by someone who wants to bring down your business systems. Many cyber crimes are committed by disgruntled employees or vendors with an ax to grind.
The ransom note…
You turn on your computer and find out that it’s been infected with ransomware. The cyber thief is only asking for $25 to release it. What do you do first?
- Contact your business IT expert.
- Disconnect your computer from the network.
- Pay the ransom. It’s a small amount of money and it will prevent you from getting into trouble.
- Try to make it go away.
The first thing you should do is disconnect your computer and isolate it from your business network. This will keep the issue from spreading and causing more damage. Once you do that, contact an expert. Never try to handle a ransom attack on your own. It’s exactly what cyber crooks want you to do and could do serious harm to your business systems.
The official looking email…
You receive an email from the Centers for Disease Control. It provides tips and hints about how to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the workplace. It then tells you to download a pdf flyer to post in your break room. What do you do?
- Download the pdf and make multiple copies of it.
- Ignore the email.
- Forward the email on to your coworkers because you find it helpful.
- You close the email and report it to your workplace IT expert.
Many hackers today are using the pandemic as cover for phishing hacks. They send emails from reputable looking organizations with requests to click on something or to download an attachment. Once you do that, it releases malware that can harm your data, steal business information and harm your systems. If you receive an email like this, it’s best to close it and report it to an IT expert.
The lost phone…
You take the train home every day. One evening you leave your work cellphone on the train. When you get home, you realize what you did. What should you do next?
- Call the cell phone provider and order a new one.
- Contact the train system lost and found department.
- Call the phone to see if anyone answers it.
- Disable the phone as soon as possible.
You definitely want to disable the phone. It will help prevent the personal and business information on it from being stolen. Contact your cell phone provider and tell them what happened. They’ll be able to deactivate it and suspend service.
The questionable website…
You receive an email that directs you to a website with the address www.businesscreditcardinfo.com. It asks you to login and provide some personal and business related information. What do you do?
- You login and input the information as requested.
- You ignore the request because it seems odd.
- You set the request aside because you don’t have the information requested handy.
- You close the email and report it to an IT expert.
The smart thing to do is close the email and report it. The website has no security authentication. Only login to ones that begin with “https”. That plus the SSL certificate padlock symbol show that it’s secure and that it’s okay to input information.
So, how did you do? Are you a cyber security expert or is it time for you to learn more about the topic? Check out these tips to learn how you can avoid making your business vulnerable to a hack.