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Keeping Your Home Network Secure While Working Remotely
Hackers throughout the globe are attempting to take advantage of people working from home during this time. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently issued an alert that offers guidance on defending against COVID-19 cyber scams. Use the tips below to keep your home network secure while working remotely.
- Be careful when accessing websites about the coronavirus, particularly when visiting them via social media.
- Do not click on unsolicited COVID-19 tracking maps. Cybercriminals are targeting these specifically. If you’re looking for information navigate directly to a trusted, secure site.
- If you get a text or email to register for your stimulus check, don’t click on it. The government will not be reaching out to you in email, and typically will communicate via postal mail.
- Be cautious of charities soliciting donations to help with COVID-19. If you want to donate to an existing charity, please visit their official website directly rather than clicking an embedded link on social media or an email.
- Do not open unsolicited emails that contain “COVID-19,” “pandemic,” or other crisis-related buzzwords in the title. If you get an email and it directs you to COVID-19 information in an attachment, it may be a scam.
- There are phishing campaigns that pretend to be your doctor or your hospital contacting you about coronavirus testing. Do not click on any links or respond to these emails. Instead, call your hospital or doctor’s office if you have questions.
- For anyone affected by a layoff, be wary of sites offering help to register for unemployment. Because the states’ unemployment websites have been overrun with requests, scammers have started to put up fake sites to obtain personal information.
This information should be used as a guideline and is not intended to replace the advice of state or federal authorities.
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The Commercial Advantage: Expand Your Book of Business
There’s no doubt about it: the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we do business. It’s likely most of your commercial customers are struggling. You yourself may be fighting to keep your agency afloat. It may even be tempting to press pause on communicating with your commercial customers and wait out the pandemic — but I strongly encourage you to fight that impulse. Taking action now will put you miles ahead of your competition once the crisis subsides. Check out the 2020 Issue 3 of Smart Choice Magazine for tips on how.