Stanford CIS

5 ways to protect yourself from cybercrime

By Scott Shackelford on

High-profile data breaches at companies like British Airways and Marriott get a lot of media coverage, but cybercriminals are increasingly going after community groups, schools, small businesses and municipal governments.

Just in the Midwest, hospitals, libraries, voter registration systems and police departmentshave fallen victim to one type of digital hijacking or another. Cybercrime is not just a concern for corporate technology departments. Schools, scout troops, Rotary clubs and religious organizations need to know what to look for and how to handle it.

As the academic director of a new cybersecurity clinic at Indiana University, I’ll be helping to lead students and faculty members in teaching local, county and state government agencies, not-for-profit organizations and small businesses how to improve their cyber hygiene. They’ll learn how to better manage digital systems, protect their intellectual property and improve consumer privacy.

Everyone should know the basics for how to protect themselves and the groups or organizations they’re part of. Here is a brief look at some of the cybersecurity best practices we’ll be teaching members of our communities to keep in mind as they go online for work, play or volunteering.

Read the full piece at The Conversation.