International Computer Security Day (CSD) has been held every year on 30 November since 1988. This international awareness day was created in response to the first known case of network-based malware. This was the “Morris Worm”, which affected 10% of the computers connected to the Arpanet (a global computer network, the precursor to the Internet) at the time. Following this incident, the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) decided that, every year, on that day, all computer users would be reminded of the need (and, in some cases, the obligation) to take a series of precautionary measures to protect their data in the digital world.
At Banco Sabadell we would like to join in once again on this event, reminding you of some of the most basic tips that can help us to protect our data (both personal data and that which we must safeguard due to our professional activity).
- Regularly check the strength of your passwords, and change them periodically. Try not to use the same password for all your services. It is important that they are at least 8 characters long and that they include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
- Beware of unsolicited e-mails, even if they appear to come from companies you know. Especially if we are asked to download files or visit websites. If you have any doubts, before taking any action, contact the company that is supposedly sending you the email, through an alternative channel.
- Exercise extreme caution on public Wi-Fi networks. If they are not properly protected, it could be that someone has the ability to intercept your data, and then use it maliciously.
- When shopping online, look at the address (URL) of the product pages. Or those where you are asked for your personal details. They should match the domain of the company selling the products. Also check that the address of the page begins with https. Even if you see that the website starts with ‘https’ or has a padlock at the top, before you buy an item or service, look for reviews, online reputation, or comments on the internet and check – for example – the payment methods accepted, in case they are not the usual ones. This will help you tell if making a purchase on the website could be unreliable.
- Always have the latest version of the programmes you use or the operating systems of your computer and your mobile devices updated to the latest version. Many of the automatic updates that we are often offered to install are intended to increase our security as users.
- Avoid downloading programmes or apps from sites other than official company websites or major application marketplaces.
Remember that our customer service team is at your disposal to help you 24/7/365 on 963 085 000, at info@bancsabadell.com or on our social network accounts (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram).