North Valley Bank

ONLINE SAFETY & SECURITY

ONLINE SAFETY & SECURITY ARE SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

Think about how many times you have gone online in the past week. What did you do while online? Check your e-mail? Track your finances? Share pictures? Download videos?

The internet today has become an invaluable resource in both our personal and professional lives. We have access to more information than ever. With this added accessibility comes a great deal of risk and added responsibility.

We are excited to announce that North Valley Bank has become a partner of STOP.THINK.CONNECT., the global cybersecurity education and awareness campaign. The campaign's objective is to help you become more aware of growing threats and arm you with the tools to protect yourself, your family, North Valley Bank, and our national security.

As a partner, North Valley Bank will promote the importance of online safety and help our community stay safer and more secure online. Online safety and security are shared responsibilities; together we can make a positive impact in our digital world.

Industry estimates losses in 2008 as high as $1 trillion as a result of intellectual property and data theft.ⁱ A 2010 Data Breach Investigation Report reported that 96% of breaches were avoidable through simple or intermediate actions. ⁱⁱ

The STOP.THINK.CONNECT. Campaign offers the following advice:

STOP: Before you use the Internet, take time to understand the risks and learn how to spot potential problems.
THINK: Take a moment to be certain the path ahead is clear. Watch for warning signs and consider how your actions online could impact your safety, or your family’s.
CONNECT: Enjoy the Internet with greater confidence, knowing you’ve taken the right steps to safeguard yourself and your computer.

More information and print materials are available to you below.

ⁱ White House Cyberspace Policy Review http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Cyberspace_Policy_Review_final.pdf
ⁱⁱ 2010 Data Breach Investigation Report conducted by Verizon in cooperation with the United States Secret Service http://www.verizonbusiness.com/resources/reports/rp_2010-data-breach-report_en_xg.pdf

CYBERSECURITY 101

At home, at work, and at school, our growing dependence on technology demands greater security online. Individuals are our country’s first line of defense in guarding against online risks. For this reason, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, requiring awareness and vigilance from every citizen, community, and country.

SPREAD THE WORD

The internet offers a world of opportunities. People of all ages share photos and videos, build online profiles, text each other, and create avatars. These ways of socializing and communicating can be fulfilling and, yet, they come with risks.

Ransomware

As technology evolves, the prevalence of ransomware attacks is growing among businesses and consumers alike. It’s important for digital citizens to be vigilant about basic digital hygiene in an increasingly connected world.

CYBER TIPS

Cyber threats are real. They don’t just happen to someone else. They can happen to you. Here are some STOP.THINK.CONNECT. tips to help keep you, your identity, and your information safe online:

Keep a Clean Machine: Make sure all your devices have the latest operating system, software, web browsers, apps, and anti-virus protection. This is one of the best defenses against malware and other online threats.
Get Two Steps Ahead: Add layers of security to your email, social networks and other online accounts by enabling 2-step authentication. Learn how at https://stopthinkconnect.org/2stepsahead
Own Your Online Presence: Customize privacy and security settings on social media and other websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s okay to limit how and with whom you share information!
Protect Your Personal Information: Use caution when using Wi-Fi hotspots or an open Internet connection. You should never shop, bank or enter personal/financial information over unsecured Wi-Fi. A good rule of thumb: If you have to enter a username/password on a website, wait until you are sure you have a secure connection.
When In Doubt, Throw It Out: Link in emails, tweets, online ads, text messages and other forms of communication are ways that cybercriminals can compromise your device and gain access to personal information. If it looks suspicious or sounds too good to be true-even if you know the source-it’s best to delete or mark as junk mail.
Transparency Builds Trust: Businesses should be open and honest about how they collect, use and share consumer’s personal information. Think about how the consumer may expect their data to be used. Privacy practices that are perceived as bad or “creepy” can harm your company’s reputation.

Below are ways to help you become more aware of growing threats and tools to help arm you and protect yourself, your family, North Valley Bank, and our national security: