Beyond PCI Compliance: 3 Simple Things You Can Do To Protect Yourself

I know what you’re thinking: here we go again… Some article about protecting data and computers and technical stuff like that. Well sure, it’s important stuff. We want to help you be secure with your data, all your data. And it’s more than just PCI compliance. Yes, protecting credit card and billing information is very important. It receives a lot of attention because of how it is controlled and policed. While general data security may not be as strictly monitored, it is no less important.

Well that’s all fine, but how does this apply to me? What can I do to make sure I’m protected from the bad guys? Here are three simple things you can do:

1: Get your computers and devices updated and actively patching.
All computers have an operating system, and most are using Windows or Apple. Bad guys often exploit known weaknesses and vulnerabilities to gain access to your computers. Both Microsoft and Apple have teams that make regular updates to their operating systems to make sure computers are protected. There are settings on your computer that automatically take care of this for you. Oh, and don’t forget mobile devices—phones and tablets—really, anything that may connect to the Wi-Fi you have or offer. Those mobile devices have regular updates to their software to fix bugs and improve security. Keeping your computers and devices updated and patched with all the software that’s on them is a great and simple way to keep yourself protected.

2: Make sure you have anti-virus software.
Anti-virus (AV) software is the first line of protection against the bad guys. These programs are updated regularly with the latest protection against viruses, malware, and other attacks that are used to compromise your computers. AV software can also scan files on your computer to detect anything that has been compromised; they then clean those files for you. Typically, this is something that can be automated so you don’t have to worry about it. There are several good programs out there and some operating systems have them built in. For example, Microsoft has Windows Defender Security Center. Others can be purchased and installed on your device.

2: Be wary of suspicious emails
What’s that old saying? If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck…well the same is true of suspicious emails. If it looks too good to be true or seems a little fishy, it probably is. Email is still the number one-way bad guys get what they want. Whether it’s ransomware or a virus, when you click on that link or open that attachment you are giving the bad guys access to your computer and connected systems. And, as you know, junk filters don’t catch everything. If you think the email is legit and your spidey-sense is still tingling, find a way to verify the source it’s coming from before doing anything.

Data security is a big job and it takes all of us working together to protect ourselves and those we service. We’re here to help. If you want some help checking on any of the items above, give us a ring.