Pub. 16 2019 Issue 3

Issue 3 • 2019 11 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S Consumers (unsurprisingly) want to know how to protect themselves better and are quite open to their bank showing them how. Almost three-fourths (74 percent) said that they would likely participate in a cybersecurity awareness program if offered by their financial institution. program, and interest from those age 45 and older is close behind (73 %). So if your institution hosts a cybersecurity awareness program, people will come. By doing so, you cre - ate a win-win for consumers and your institution. Here are just a few of the benefits: • Bolster your institution’s reputation as an active corpo - rate citizen • Increase the potential for new business as you share your knowledge • Create more cyber-aware customers able to thwart malicious cyberactivity • Reduce your own risk from cybercrime as a result The Keys to a Successful Event To capitalize on this opportunity, you must be intentional and deliberate in your planning: • Create a guest list: Of course, you should include your existing customers, but don’t stop there. Cement your status as a local hero by inviting the community at large. • Save the date: The bad guys aren’t waiting, so don’t procrastinate. Host your event as soon as you can prop - erly plan it. If possible, consider scheduling it in Octo - ber, which is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), “a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online.” • Don’t stop at one: Reach the broadest audience by hosting several sessions scheduled conveniently for various demographics, i.e., mornings for senior citizens and stay-at-home parents, evenings or weekends for working adults. • Remember location, location, location: Select a venue conducive to a group meeting and one that projects a professional and credible atmosphere. Also, make sure the location is conveniently accessible and big enough to house your entire guest list comfortably. • Pick a partner: Pairing up with your local chamber of commerce, an area civic organization, or academic insti - tution is a great way to reach the broader community. • Give more than advice: Everyone loves free stuff. You have a great opportunity to hand out bank-branded items like pens, mugs, etc. You could also give away a more valuable door prize. • Bring in the experts: Technology can be a dry and complicated topic, so pick a speaker with the cyberse - curity chops to inspire confidence and motivate them to heed the advice. The Makings of a Useful Message Beyond the logistical details, ensure you craft an informa - tive message, including these topics: • Practicing good cyber hygiene: CSO Online shares several basic cyber-hygiene tips that you can share: ▫ Use secure access points: Only connect devices through private Wi-Fi networks or use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt a public Wi-Fi network. ▫ Install updates: As soon as hardware and software updates are available, download them to protect against known vulnerabilities. ▫ Protect yourself: Always use strong, unique pass - words and incorporate multifactor authentication whenever it’s available. ▫ Practice safe emailing: Beware of opening links or attachments from unknown or suspicious persons. ▫ Use anti-malware protection: Explain that this isn’t just for computers and laptops anymore. Consum- ers need to think about mobile and other Inter- net-connected devices. • Protecting Online Footprints: The NCSAM 2019 Toolkit is a great resource for anyone hosting a cyber- security awareness program. It also suggests talking about these online safety tips: ▫ Personalize privacy settings ▫ Post safely to social media ▫ Understand the Internet of Things (IoT) ▫ Protect from social engineering ▫ Stay safe with e-commerce • Responding to a data breach: Explain the key ac - tions consumers should do after a data breach, includ - ing finding out what information was stolen and if their data was included, as well as putting fraud alerts on affected debit and credit cards and credit reports. • Dealing with identity theft: It also is important to discuss what consumers should do if their identities are stolen. • Institutional defenses: Finally, take the opportuni - ty to discuss how your institution protects itself and its customers and their data from cyber intrusion. n More Helpful Insight from CSI’s Consumer Cybersecurity Poll Consumer receptivity to a bank-sponsored cybersecurity education program is just one of the takeaways from our survey. To gain valuable insight into how consumers are thinking about cybersecurity, download CSI’s 2019 Consumer Cybersecurity Poll Executive Report.