Financial CyberSecurity Today
At a recent CyberSecurity forum sponsored by State Street Global Advisors, several of us at Marin Wealth Advisors were fortunate enough to hear Professor Jason Healey, Senior Research Scholar @ Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs recommendations regarding personal cybersecurity. They comprised 6 main takeaways. To wit…
1. On the 2nd Tuesday of each month, Microsoft releases their patch of the month. Confirm that your machine is receiving them.
2. Have an Anti-Virus software on your machine if you are running Windows. McAfee or Norton are fine options.
3. Embrace the Cloud. Cloud applications have been built on a new platform on which security was prioritized.
4. Use complex, unique passwords with a minimum of 32 characters and use a Password Wallet. He uses LastPass (www.lastpass.com).
5. Use two factor authentication (2FA). Having a code sent to your phone is ok but it is even better to utilize a standalone 2FA company such as DUO (www.duo.com) or even better, a security token on your person.
6. Use a virtual private network (VPN) anytime you use a laptop or tablet and access sensitive information at home (most home wireless networks are not that safe), in a coffee shop, in a hotel, AirBnB etc.
We encourage you to contact us with any questions regarding securing your financial information online.