Stay Aware During Cybersecurity Month

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you and your families are safe and well.

I want to take a few moments to discuss Cybersecurity as October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. While insurance coverage is available for both personal and commercial exposure to cyber events, let’s focus more on the awareness piece of the exposure and a few very specific pieces to keep you as safe as possible.

Cyber is something that is a challenge if it happens to you. Hackers can lock down and encrypt data which can shut down businesses or stop your personal life in its tracks. While insurance is available, this is a case where there are many difficulties and stresses that arise. Like many insurance claims, we do our best to put you back together financially. However, this does not account for the headaches and stress along the way. In the case of Cyber, the best insurance is to do everything in your power to prevent something from happening. There are many ways to go about this and certainly awareness is the key. Read on for two things that go a long way to help keep you safe in the Cyber world.

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

If you are like me, most of the time you find multi factor authentication annoying. However, all of these things go a very long way in preventing a hacker from getting into your personal or business world. A few years ago, our agents worked on a commercial cyber case and I recall literature from Travelers Insurance indicating that 92% of potential hacking events can be prevented by MFA. When available, take the time to set up the challenge questions or the text message confirmations, and that will go a long way in keeping you safe. 

Third Party Monitor 

Another precaution I would recommend, is establishing a relationship with a third party vendor that monitors activity in your personal accounts. LifeLock is a great example. In the event that something does happen to you, the time that it takes to discover the problem can make all of the difference. A third party vendor can  monitor your accounts and make you aware of any changes almost instantly.

Cybersecurity is something we can discuss at great length and it is getting more complicated as technology improves.  I recommend keeping yourself up to date on easy ways to make your Cyber world more secure. Take whatever precaution you can and be aware of the world around you.

 If you would like to explore any of the coverages available or review what you have now, please do not hesitate to reach out to your agent and have a conversation.

Thank you for allowing us to protect your families.

Be Safe!

Jon