workingforyou Data Security I

Additional Resources Find more cybersecurity tips and information at www.dhs.gov/stopth inkconnect-toolkit, and read “Combating Online Fraud” on page 60 of this issue.

50 MILITARY OFFICER OCTOBER 2015

MOAA is dedicated to ensuring the personal data and information you’ve entrusted to us are protected and accessible only to authorized users. By Stefanie Keuser

In recent months, many high-profile companies and government agencies have struggled with securing the information that had been entrusted to them. Protect- ing data and online information is a chal- lenging business. After 24 years working in the information technology and security field — including 17 years at MOAA — the one constant I know is the bad guys keep coming, and they always find more cre- ative ways to compromise the information we work to protect. The good news is data security methods continue to evolve just as quickly as the types of attacks. At MOAA, we work diligently to se-

cure the data you’ve entrusted to us. We have three primary objectives that guide our policies to achieve this. First, we strive to protect the confidentiality of your data. Second, we are committed to preserving the integrity of your data. And finally, we ensure your data is avail- able only to authorized users. While the variables for determining how to accomplish these goals change frequent- ly, our objective stays the same: Ensure ab- solute security of the personal information you entrust to us. In addition to complying with mandated regulations, we have a vigi- lant data security program in place. A large element of that program is focused on staff awareness. So, when you provide MOAA with personal data and email contact infor- mation for you and your spouse, as we hope you will do, you can be assured we are com- mitted to safeguarding this information.

In recognition of Cyber Security

Awareness Month, here are some tips to help you protect your online information: Secure your home network. Configure

your home Wi-Fi router to use a strong password using letters, numbers, and at least one special character, and ensure it’s configured to use the latest encryption. Protect your online account access. Never

share your passwords, and use two-step verification when possible, which makes use of something you know (your pass- word) and something you have (for exam- ple, a code that is sent to your phone). The account can’t be accessed without both. Manage your passwords. Regularly

change your online account passwords. Think before you click. Don’t open email messages unless you know the source. Phishing emails are designed to trick you into opening an email with a malicious link or an attachment infected with a virus. Be vigilant. Regularly monitor online accounts for suspicious activity. One easy way to do this is to sign up for real-time alerts from banks and other institutions you regularly use. If you detect suspicious activ- ity, change your password immediately and report the activity to the vendor. Remember: Data security is a lot like

oxygen — you tend not to notice it until you begin to lose it, but once that occurs, there is nothing else you can think about.

MO

— Stefanie Keuser is director of MOAA’s Infor- mation Technology Department.