Members of the Tyrone Chamber of Commerce held their monthly breakfast meeting at The Bull Pen on Thursday morning. Providing awareness and information on cyber threats was Joe Harford, founder and president of Reclamere in Tyrone. Harford warned that clicking on links in emails is a way to put homes and businesses at risk. Harford said cybersecurity threats are real and people need to be aware that it's happening right here in our hometown. Cyber attacks happen regularly, targeting people's names, birth dates and social security numbers. He said that information is valuable on the dark web and can be sold many times over. He said large amounts of money are being paid to steal data in other countries.
Harford said organisations with 25 or fewer employees were 50% more likely to go bankrupt after a cyber attack, noting that many were “woefully” unprotected and had “woefully” outdated equipment.
Harford emphasized the importance of storing passwords properly in a password keeper or password manager (many of which are free) and making sure they are secure. Harford said many people don't protect their passwords or don't create passwords that are complex enough. For example, Harford said many household passwords are just “passwords” and are easily cracked.
Harford also stressed the importance of being cautious, urging everyone to “stop, think and act.” Hackers have the opportunity to access data when people are busy, distracted and not paying attention. Harford said most attacks are carried out through email, so people should be very careful and avoid clicking on links. Receiving an email is not a problem, but “if you click on a link, it's game over,” Harford said.
Along with cybersecurity, Hurford said password managers are important for protecting loved ones in the event of an emergency or unexpected loss.
After the presentation, Chamber of Commerce Director Rose Black said she invited Harford to speak after the chamber's website was hacked and wanted to spread the message that the threat is real and people should always remain vigilant.
Harford said. Daily Herald Uncertainty and fear are often obstacles to cyber preparedness. Harford advises creating a plan to improve your cybersecurity both at home and at work, one step at a time. “Just imagine how much better you could be in six months if you made small changes every month,” Harford said.
Senator Judy Ward was also in attendance and enjoyed the presentation. She said: Daily Herald, “This is a warning to people who use the internet on a daily basis and how to avoid getting scammed and a warning to businesses who thought they were doing everything right but ended up getting caught up in a cyber security issue – they could lose a lot of money. Some of the very simple tips that Joe has given us today will help everybody here and we'll pass them on.”
For additional information or questions about cyber security, contact Hartford at joseph@relamare.com.
