Cyber Security is something that we emphasize at InterConnect. Our IT team leads the way by equipping us with strong training, persistence, and insight into the latest types of attacks.
Cyber Security is something that is abundantly important in today’s environment. We want our customers, suppliers, and team members to know that data for their Wiring Harness is in good hands. Connections Matter. Because of that, every Tuesday we train on Cyber Security.
Here are a few tips we can share that you should in incorporate not only in your work life, but also in your personal life to protect you from the bad guys.
1. Lock your computer! (Window button + L)
Our number 1 tip is to make sure to lock your computer! It is just a quick two button press that makes all the difference. Important data can be found by a quick glance! Which leads to tip number 2.
2. If you see someone you don’t know unescorted, go speak with them or report them.
It is important to make sure that people in your office are meant to be there. We follow strict standards for all guests visiting InterConnect. All visitors are checked in and escorted while on the premises. If you ever see someone that you do not know without verification, go speak to them. Sometimes just knowing that they have been seen is enough to scare off the bad guys.
3. Remain skeptical about your email!
Bad guys love to send nefarious emails. Luckily, there are several tell-tale signs that you can be on the lookout for.
- Urgency – “Do it today or else!” is a common trick used by the bad guys to try to pressure you into a rash decision.
- Misspelling – If an email has many misspellings, then it could be a sign of an attack from someone who does not speak or write your language as their first language. An example that we sometimes see is someone putting “F16” instead of F-16.
- Lack of context – Your coworker probably would include more details in their message besides just a URL to click.
- A fake email address – Sometimes the bad guys will make a fake email address that has just one misplaced letter or an extra dash. Be sure to be alert of this when looking at a strange email.
- Unexpected attachments – Did someone you don’t know send you an attachment to an email? It is best to not open it.
If your company uses a tool to allow you to report these types of phishing emails, be sure to use it!
4. Only visit https websites.
https stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. When you visit a site that starts with https, you know that it is secure because it means that the web server and browser you are using is encrypted.
Be wary of any websites that do not start with https. Websites that start with http are vulnerable to attacks from bad guys, so it is best to avoid them.
5. Keep each other accountable and ask for help.
This is the best tip we can give you. If you see a coworker who has left their computer unlocked or a password written down on a piece of paper (Bonus tip: NEVER write down your password), make sure to say something to them. Just like it takes a whole team to build a cockpit panel, it takes a whole team to assemble a good cyber security culture. The work we do in aerospace is vital.
If you have a question, just ask. I recently received a suspicious email that looked like it came from a co-worker. I had no idea why this email was sent to me, so I just gave the co-worker a call. It turned out that the email was not from my coworker, so I reported it as phishing. I’m glad that my training helped me keep InterConnect and our customers safe!
There are many more Cyber Security tips, but I think that these 5 are great general tips that you can start implementing today. If you want to see some more tips and read a goofy cyber poem that our Vice President Clare McGarrey wrote, you can find that here. Cyber Security is something we take seriously, and we say it is everyone’s job here at InterConnect.
If you would like to join us for a tour and some cyber security training, please visit us on Tuesday mornings. You can call me at 817.377.9473 to set up a visit with us in Fort Worth, Texas.
