WASHINGTON COUNTY — The Washington/Ozaukee Public Health Department kicked off the third week of National Preparedness Month with tips on how to stay protected from cyberattacks.
According to a post on the department’s official Facebook Page, cyberattacks are malicious attempts to access or damage a computer or network system. Cyberattacks can lead to the loss of money or the theft of personal, financial and medical information. These attacks can damage your reputation and safety.
To help people prepare and protect themselves against these attacks, the department shared information regarding what to do before, during and after falling victim to a cyberattack.
According to the post, the first step is to self-educate and be prepared for cyberattacks. Some of the best things to do to prevent them is to limit the personal information you share online. It is also important to keep software applications and operating systems up-to-date. Use strong passwords, or a password manager, and multi-factor authentication. Also, while online, watch for suspicious activity that asks you to do something right away, offers something that sounds too good to be true, or needs your personal information. Think before you click. When in doubt, do NOT click.
Also, according to the post, if someone is unfortunate enough to get cyberattacked, the biggest thing to do is to limit the damage. To do that, keep an eye out for unexpected or fraudulent charges, change any passwords to accounts that may be compromised and let people know that these accounts have been compromised.
After taking steps to resecure your online presence, let the proper federal, state and local authorities know if you believe you have been a victim of a cyberattack. Also, contact banks, credit card companies and other financial services companies where you hold accounts. You may need to place holds on accounts that have been attacked. Close any unauthorized credit or charge accounts. Report that someone may be using your identity.
To learn more about how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from cyberattacks, visit https://www.ready.gov/cybersecurity.
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