Experts offer practical tips to fend off a cyber attack

Jim Calloway (Oklahoma Bar Association), Trey Forgety (NENA: The 9-1-1 Association), and Catherine Sanders Reach (Chicago Bar Association) offered the following suggestions for bar associations, law firms and individuals to follow, in order to reduce the risk of being a victim of a cyber attack:

• Never click on a link or attachment in email unless you were expecting it to be there. Even if it’s from someone you know, verify with the person that it is legitimate before you click.
• Be sure your computer system/network has up-to-date security software, and, for larger systems, security hardware such as firewalls. For larger bars and firms, in-house IT staff should handle these matters. For individuals or small firms/bars, hire an outside IT consultant.
• Change your passwords regularly, and use a password manager. This is software that allows you to create long, unique passwords for your accounts without having to remember them. As long as you remember the password for your password manager, it will take care of the rest.
• When training staff, remember that you will need to repeat the message often. People can forget things, and some safe cybersecurity practices require extra effort. Remind people regularly of what they need to do.