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Cybersecurity

At National Life Group, our cause is simple: to Do good, be good, make good. We’re a company that strives to keep our promise to bring peace of mind to everyone we touch. One of the ways we accomplish this is through our Cybersecurity Program. We believe in transparency, and cybersecurity is no exception. Our team of information security professionals are dedicated to safeguarding your personal data each and every day.

Tips for staying safe at home or in the office

  • Minimum count of 8 characters
  • Upper case, lower case, numbers and special characters
  • Use passphrases as the password itself, or to help you remember a complicated password
    • For example: “TheLongerThePasswordTheStrongerItIs1!”
  • Use a different password for important accounts
  • Change them every 90 days and do not reuse old passwords
  • Use a password manager to avoid storing them in unsecure places. E.g., a sticky note
  • Avoid simple passwords such as:
    • Password1
    • 123456
  • Look for the ‘lock’ in the left-hand side of the URL—HTTPS— before entering your information into the site
  • If you received a suspicious or unanticipated email from a sender claiming to be someone you know:
    • Contact the person you are receiving the email from personally to make sure it is truly from that person
    • Delete suspicious emails without opening them
    • Do not click the link or download the attachment
  • Beware of fake websites—look for misspellings or slight variations in the webpage
    • For example: nationallife.com vs. nationalife.com, did you notice the missing ‘l’? Hackers were hoping you didn't.
  • Install an anti-virus software and run it at least once a day
  • Keep backups of your data to protect yourself from falling victim to ransomware
  • Enable the firewall by going into either system preferences, settings or control panel
    • A firewall is an extra layer of defense against hackers
    • It monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic
    • You can customize how you want your network traffic by altering the firewall rules
  • Automate software updates and patches
  • Stay educated on trending phishing campaigns and malware attacks by reading cyber-security related news
  • Beware of pop-ups ads. They can be disguised as trustworthy software, such as Anti-virus software downloads, Adobe Flash updates, etc. Instead of clicking on the pop-up, go directly to the program or the official site to download the program.
  • Never automatically save username and password on important sites
    • This prevents anyone from easily logging into your accounts
  • Signs of identity theft can be a combination of any of the following
    • Withdrawals or charges from your account that were not made by you
    • You no longer receive bills
    • Bill collecting agencies are reaching out to you for unpaid bills
    • Your checks are refused by Merchants
    • You are receiving bills for services you did not use
    • There was a data breach at a company that had your information
    • You receive a letter or email notifying you that your password or account details were changed
  • Prevention:
    • Practice online and offline safety
    • Track credit card transactions and monitor credit score
    • Invest in identity theft protection services
      • Includes credit monitoring, alerts when your information shows up in a change of address request, social media, court records, etc.
        • Identity theft recovery insurance
    • For more information on Identity theft, visit the Identity Theft Resource Center at http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ or https://www.identitytheft.gov/
      • Do you believe you are a victim of Identity Theft? Call the ITRC at 888-400-5530
  • Steps to take if your identity has been stolen:
    • Contact your credit card company and report that your identity has been compromised
    • Request a fraud alert and a freeze on your card
    • Record the dates you made these changes and keep copies
  • Be wary of Phishing
    • What is phishing?
      • An attempt to obtain sensitive information through emails or malicious websites posing as a legitimate source.
    • Examples
      • “We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure your account is not compromised, please click on the link below and confirm your identity”
      • “During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn’t verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information’
      • Our records indicate that your account was overcharged. You must send us your account information within 7 days to receive your refund”
      • Phishing emails: hover over the link without clicking to see the true path of the URL
      • If you received a suspicious or unanticipated email from a sender claiming to be someone you know:
        • Contact the person you are receiving the email from personally to make sure it is truly from that person
        • Delete suspicious emails without opening them
        • Do not click the link or download the attachment
  • Avoid posting personal information online
    • Example: Answer to security questions: mothers’ maiden name, name of pet, favorite color, hometown, birthday, age, etc.
    • When you’re going on vacation
  • Not everyone is who they say they are
  • Avoid Geo-tagging
  • Keep social media profiles private
  • Reflect on your current profile: what kind and how much information can a stranger get from your social media accounts?
  • Use password protection
  • Do not set up device to automatically connect to available networks
  • Biometrics
    • Biometric authentication uses physical attributes for recognition; such as fingerprints, retinal scanning
    • Fingerprint ID to unlock
  • Remote wiping capabilities
  • Backups
  • Software and app updates
  • Use native apps instead of your browser
  • Card skimmers
    • They fit inconspicuously over pin pads and card slots to steal your card data
    • Look for differences in looks of the ATM machine
      • For example: a bright yellow plastic lip over the card slot that wiggles slightly is not originally apart of the machine
    • Hidden cameras over ATM machines to steal pin numbers
  • Replace card after data breaches
  • Strong passwords
  • Freeze cards if lost or stolen
  • Check bank statements frequently
  • Monitor credit scores
  • When using banking mobile app, use fingerprint ID when possible
  • Virus
    • Definition: A piece of code that replicates itself when executed
    • Defense: Be cautious on opening or downloading links, attachments, and surfing suspicious sites on the web.
    • Tip: Protect your devices by installing an anti-virus software, and running it at least once a day.
  • Ransomware
    • Definition: A type of malware that block user access to a computer system and demands a sum of money
    • Defense: Maintain a strong firewall, use reputable anti-virus software, use up popup blockers, and avoid suspicious websites, advertisements and emails.
    • Tip: Back up regularly! If you become a victim of ransomware, do not pay the ransom! Backing up important files will allow you to restore your computer without having to start fresh.
  • Trojans
    • Definition: Malware that is often disguised as legitimate software whose purpose is to gain access to a user’s system.
    • Defense: Use a reputable anti-virus software and run it daily
    • Tip: Avoid downloading unknown files where Trojans can be hiding with extensions such as; .exe,.scr,. lnk, .bat, .vbs, .dll, .bin, and .cmd
  • Worms
    • Definition: A standalone code that self-replicates
    • Defense: Be cautious on opening or downloading links, attachments, and surfing suspicious sites on the web.
    • Tip: Keep your computer current with the latest patches and updates. By doing so, it minimizes any vulnerabilities that would allow cyber-criminals to break into your system.
  • Spam
    • Definition: Unsolicited junk emails
    • Defense: Users can either block the sender, or simply delete them without opening the actual email
    • Tip: Do not click on any links from spam! Spam can also come in the form of phishing, which uses the disguise of fake websites, and can lead to malware, or tricking you into providing your personal information.
  • Public
    • Public Wi-Fi is generally unsecure
    • Not all Wi-Fi links are legitimate
    • Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) so your data will be encrypted as it passes through the network
    • VPN: free vs. costly (Do your research)
    • Avoid logging into social media or online banking accounts
    • Be wary of connecting to unfamiliar networks.
  • Home
    • Hide SSIDs – the name of your network
    • Do not leave your network open- require a password
      • Don't give out your Wi-Fi password to everyone
      • Change your WiFi password regularly
      • ***DNS Filtering services
    • WPA2 encryption
  • Anti-virus software
  • Data storage, backup, recovery
  • Automatic updates and upgrades