CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH: GROUNDING OURSELVES IN PRACTICES THAT KEEP US AND OUR DATA SAFE
The leaves are changing color, the winds are picking up, and we have officially transitioned to the Fall season! This seasonal transition into Autumn sends signals to our bodies to slow down, bundle up, and be more intentional with how we are spending our days. In other words, to shift our focus and reflect on not only where we’ve been, but where we are trying to go. In the technology dimension of this part of the world, October marks the beginning of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. “Since 2004, the U.S. Government and industry have worked together each October to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. This year’s theme is Securing the Next 250, which recognizes the nation's 250th anniversary and focuses on building a secure digital future for America’s next era.” (Source) That wording was…specific, purposeful, and intentional to say the very least. Rather than discussing the ways in which we can continue to protect and guard institutions, we want to be intentional and use this month to discuss how we can protect you, and the equitable world we are building together.
Verification
So, where do you start? Before we dive in, it could be helpful to further define some terms to avoid confusion. “Cybersecurity” is the word you may hear more often thrown around in tech conversations. In other words, that phrasing is more popularized. It is also embedded into the title of this month’s call for awareness. However, you’ll hear us more often use the term “Digital Security”. Why? To put it simply, “Cybersecurity” largely speaks to building technological infrastructure, securing assets, and safeguarding to protect institutions. While “Digital Security” largely speaks directly to protecting individual people on a more interpersonal and localized level. Staying authentically true to our values, we prioritize people over profits. So this is the level where we would like to meet you and offer our expertise.
So here are some steps you can take to begin protecting your information! In many of our digital security workshops, one of the first steps we begin discussing is Verification. When working with your phone or laptop, you can begin the verification process by getting a password manager for all your devices and enabling multi-factor authentication for all sites you are consistently active on. These steps you take with your devices help you know where all your information is going, that it’s stored somewhere safe, and give you a digital trust that guards all of it. This month we believe it is important to ask how we can extend this verification process to our communities? Because truthfully, digital security starts first with relationships and building trust before technology. Where you get your information matters. Who you trust with your information matters. Who is in the room with you having all these conversations makes all the difference. We can all take steps to verify and confirm that we are surrounding ourselves with comrades and individuals that enlighten us, educate us, challenge us, and that we can ultimately trust. Being critically decisive at our consultancy, we strive to make informed decisions that promote productivity and sound judgement, ensuring all choices have been thoroughly vetted. This extends to our relationships, collaborations and the community we surround ourselves with. Because as you build any foundation, you want to know that you’re building with like-minded and value-centered individuals striving towards the same goal.
Encryption
One of the next steps you can take to secure your personal information involves Encryption. “Encryption is the process of converting readable data into a secret code that can only be read by someone with the correct digital key.” (Source) For best practices, you want to encrypt everywhere, encrypt your entire hard drive and your data in case your computer is lost or stolen. You also want to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) whenever you’re using a remote network (Ex: public wifi) to further secure all your data. A dope fact to note is that traditional encryption is actually a mathematical process that does not require artificial intelligence. So what can we take from the encryption process? We have agency. We have the power. We have the power to arm ourselves with tools! We get to choose how we participate in the advancements of technology and we can use these tools to protect ourselves and our data.
In this ever changing world and society, technological advancements such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) are pushed on us to simply accept as a natural progression that is unstoppable. This push comes from at large, people in positions of power who want to make money off of our pain and suffering. In addition, the people who are looking to hack and take your information count on the majority of us being uninformed on how to prevent these attacks. They count on us to be unaware of our options and our collective agency. But we get to choose. We get to choose how we arm ourselves with knowledge and practices that empower us with the tools we need. When we know better we can do better. Knowing better starts with understanding what we already have at our fingertips to keep each other safe.
Data Continuity
One last recommendation (for now) involves Data Continuity. You want to do your best to maintain backups on all fronts. Backup files and folders to physical (preferred) and cloud storage. It is crucial to note that the operating system, applications, and settings will not be backed up unless you use a more robust backup software platform. You can use system native tools for Windows and Mac to save to an external hard drive. Save individual files or folders to a USB flash drive. You can also use OneDrive (Windows), iCloud Drive on iCloud (macOS), Google Drive, Proton Drive, Tresorit or other cloud storage services as secondary copies. Leverage these cloud storage providers with extreme caution as they can access, delete, and prevent you from accessing your data at any time. What’s most important to keep in mind throughout this entire process is that you are protecting your business and client data from permanent loss. You are essentially honoring your data sovereignty.
When we learn about protecting ourselves and our organizations it means that we are doing our part to reduce harm and mitigate risk. While we can’t always control what happens to us in this life, we do have a responsibility to respond. But we don’t have to wait until the problem shows up at our door. We can be proactive. Because no one wants to feel like their privacy has been invaded or their identity stolen. When we speak about tech equity, that includes access to knowledge about how to best keep ourselves safe, not just access to technological devices. In a society where access to technology is a necessity for survival, this access is a right. You deserve to be fully equipped with what you need to live and thrive. We are happy to provide these services and we are more than ready to continue to offer knowledge like the aforementioned tips included in this article.
As we continue to learn more about what it means to protect ourselves, and by extension our businesses, collectives, and organizations, we must stay diligent in our maintenance of the data that comes along with these spaces. BIPOC small businesses and organizations continue to be more at risk. No one is “safe” from security breaches or hackers. Those facts are not to instill fear, but to empower you. So here’s another fact: the work you do matters and it is worthy of safety and protection just as you are. We can all do our part to be active participants in ensuring that we all follow best practices to keep ourselves safe and secure. Don’t leave your neighbor hanging. Don’t let each other be vulnerable and afraid. We can all do our part to lift each other up. We got us.
