Living a cyber safe life when away from home
Too often cyber awareness is about “don’t do this”, “don’t do that”. It can be hard to stop doing something if you don’t get why and even harder to break habits of a lifetime.
The Mindshift team returned enthused from a week in Wellington where ISANZ, training, and Kiwicon gave us knowledge and opportunities to meet new people and reconnect with others.
A start-up on a budget, leading a weirdly nomadic existence, without an office or home-base and with limited data – we know it’s challenging to always demonstrate exemplary cyber aware behaviors.
I cursed my 12-year old son and Fortnite for leaving me with limited data and I tentatively connected to a hotel WIFI network from time-to-time. Eeek. Public wireless networks or WiFi hot spots aren’t secure, so anyone could potentially see what you’re doing on your computer or mobile device while you’re connected.
Then, a dying battery saw me reluctantly leave my phone charging in a bar during lunchtime refreshment, and again at Kiwicon – where, let’s face it, anything could have happened. Checking my email on the flight home, I caught a fellow passenger sneak a side-ways glance at my phone. Nothing to see here, but a reminder of the perils in putting private information out there for all to see.
Being aware that things can turn bad when we take risks is one thing but doing something to reduce the chance of things going bad is up to you. My top tips compiled from personal experience -
1. Grab yourself one of those privacy screen protectors for your phone – reduce the chance of visual hacking.
2. It may seem obvious, but make sure your device is secured with a PIN, swipe, or fingerprint.
3. If connecting to a public WIFI is a must, only stay connected for as long as you need to. Save doing your banking, entering your personal details into forms and online shopping until you’re back in the arms of a trusted network.
4. When your battery needs a boost, plug in where you can keep eyes on your device as much as you can (strategically position your client, partner, friend directly in front of the charging device so as to retain maximum eye contact).
Visit CERTNZ to report something which you feel may’ve gone bad for you – they’re here to help all New Zealanders live a happy and safe life when online.