Computer "Security" in 2024 is all on you!

Many of us were shocked last week at the big Crowdstrike / Microsoft fiasco in which a flawed update for Crowdstrike Falcon caused Windows Servers and PCs to crash. It was a costly crash as airlines, hospitals and many other business sectors came to a screeching halt for and extended period of time. "The World's biggest IT crash" it has been called by many.

This has caused many in the IT Security industry to look at and reevaluate the current state of IT Security, including myself. Now granted, what I do in the IT world is quite different than those that work in airlines, or hospitals, but still...I have my finger on the pulse in a good many IT environments including house holds of every age, small business, and larger higher education institutions. For me, like Charlie Sorel of TechWire, it raises the question of "what IT Security is needed for the common user in 2024?" Mr. Sorrel posted a good article on the matter here:

https://www.lifewire.com/crowdstrike-highlights-the-dangers-of-security-software-8681302

Cybersaftey is what we all strive for. In the past, Antivirus and Malware removal Apps were key to keeping your computer safe. Today, your computers come with built in software that scans your Apps and files for malicious intrusions and code. Some would argue, including me, that the most harmful threat to you on your computer is...you. Mr. Sorren writes:

"Because computer security is so good, security exploits focus on the weakest link in the fence—you, the human."

Over 90% of attacks today come in the form of Phishing emails, texts and phone calls. The bad guys are preying on our fears of not being secure with our IT, which is why we get so many of those bogus emails telling us that our Geek Squad coverage, our McAfee renewal, or our Norton annual subscription has been renewed. They want us to click, or call, or interact with them so that they will promise to give us an immediate refund. In fact they can give us back our money right away if we just simply give them our bank name, our account number, and bank routing number...DON'T FALL FOR THIS!!

If you receive one of those scam email all you have to do is delete the email and ignore it. A few more tips for you to stay safe and stay IT organized:

1. Understand how your computer is protected and handles virus/malware protection.

2. Be organized with your passwords. Passwords should be complex, at least 8-10 characters long with a mix of upper/lower case letters, numbers and symbols.

3. Change your passwords 1x per year.

4. Ensure that your mobile device has a passcode lock and that it is set to lock immediately.

5. Know that Amazon, Apple, PayPal and other tech giants will not call you for any reason. If you receive a call from someone reporting to be from one of these types of companies know that you are being scammed and hang up.

6. Learn how to check the sender email address on emails you receive. This way you can verify if an email is legit or a scam.

Living in a Techy world ain't easy folks. Much of the burden of staying safe now falls on us, the user. We are relying less and less on IT Security software and more and more on our brains.