In Case You Missed Us: Scary Cyber Attacks on Tech Talk on KTRS

Last week we shared some scary cyber security facts with you in preparation for Halloween and the close of National Cyber Security Awareness Month. We kept the theme rolling along last week for our segment of Tech Talk on The Big 550 KTRS. Our IT expert, Jeff Groby, joined the crew for the Guy Phillips Show to talk about some of the scarier things in cyber security that can affect all end users.

Why Do Cyber Criminals Do Bad Things?

It's a question that millions have asked before, "why do people do bad things?" Sadly, there really isn't a solid answer. Jeff talked about the three different things that can motivate a cyber criminal to unleash an attack:

• Sometimes criminals use cyber attacks as an opportunity to gain bragging rights and show off their skills to others. Sometimes there can be nefarious intent behind this, other times its just to stir up trouble because they can.
• In other cases, cyber attacks are done with the intent to gain money. This could be through gaining access to peoples personal information that can then be sold or through ransomware.
• Other times, cyber criminals unleash attacks just to be malicious. This can be a mix of bragging rights and getting money in return, or they do it just because they can. Sadly, there are people out there who do bad things just for the sake of being able to do them.

If you're wanting to know if your data or device has been compromised, Jeff suggested being aware of what your device is trying to tell you. Solutions like your anti-virus software will tell you when something looks abnormal. Don't just brush off the warning, you have the software there for a reason. Friendly reminder, don't forget to do those updates with your devices and software. Security patches come out all of the time to help protect you and your information at work and at home.

Promoting Cyber Security Awareness at Work and Home

Do you use the same best practices in protecting yourself online at work that you do at home? Sometimes its easier to click on something at work that could be potentially hazardous than it would be to do that at home. Jeff explained that it's important to be critical no matter where you are or what device you're using.

Jeff's best advice for steering clear of falling into a cyber criminals trap is to be on the lookout for fraudulent messages. A telltale sign of a malicious email is when poor grammar or spelling is used. If your bank was emailing you to ask for some specifics, they would be using spellcheck. If you're at work and receive a fraudulent email contact your IT Help Desk, let them be the judge and leave it up to the experts. If you are at home and receive a message, don't respond or click anything. Sending that email to the trash is your best bet.

There are different parts of cyber security that can be scary if you're not cautious. Being aware of what is going on with your device and being a critical consumer online are two of the best things you can do to be safe online. If you didn't already, be sure to check out our blog about 7 Scary Facts and Figures About Cyber Security to learn more.

Tech Talk on KTRS

Thanks for tuning in for another week of Tech Talk presented by SumnerOne. Our hope is that by talking about the different cyber security threats out there, people begin to take a more proactive role in protecting themselves by becoming critical consumers. Cyber security doesn't have to be scary, but it's important to be smart about what is popping up on your device's screen.

Be sure to tune in this Friday for another Tech Talk segment on The Big 550 KTRS at 4:20 pm. Check out the full video from last week down below.

Originally published November 8, 2018, updated February 12, 2019