JOE BRANNEN: Simple, strong medicine for cyber security

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and Georgia’s banks are helping consumers and businesses take simple, effective steps to protect accounts and information.

The other day I paid all my bills from my bank account at 10 p.m. While I was doing that, I also got an email from a scammer claiming to be a former Libyan army officer promising me millions of dollars if I help him get money out of his country by sharing my account information with him.

That’s a prime example of how, along with the convenience and cool factor that comes with managing our money electronically, there are also important security concerns.

Keeping your money safe has always been at the forefront of priorities for the 240 banks doing business in Georgia. Banks spend hundreds of millions of dollars to have the latest in cyber protection capabilities to protect your accounts and your identity.

But, unfortunately, hackers and cyber thieves know how to exploit our common human tendencies to get access to sensitive information. A study out last year from IBM said 95 percent of cyber security incidents involved human error at some point.

So, it’s clear that whether we’re guarding our own family’s checking account or are responsible for making sure our company’s finances and data are safe, people play a big role in having a strong cyber security fence. Every person who is connected to a computer at your place of business, for example, needs to know how to avoid inadvertently infecting your company’s systems or sharing sensitive information.

The good news is that many of the best protections are easy and don’t cost anything.

Using tips such as change your passwords frequently, don’t open email attachments from sources you don’t recognize, and don’t fall for unsolicited phone or internet scams asking for money are all good starts.

Maybe the simplest protection related to banking is to use banks’ technology to watch your account like a hawk. Online banking, mobile banking apps, and mobile alerts make it easier than ever to spot transactions that look suspicious so you can let your bank know right away if something is not right.

And also remember that your bank will never email you asking you to click a link or open an attachment to share account numbers or other critical data. If there’s ever any question, simply call or visit your bank, or go to its online banking site directly from your browser.

If you’re a business owner, talk to your banker to make sure you know the best ways to protect the critical links and transaction verification procedures between your business and your accounts. And, make sure your employees have access to training about how to protect your own systems from infection and hacking.

In short, basic awareness and simple actions are strong medicine.

In support of National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October, Georgia’s banks and the Georgia Bankers Association will be sharing these types of tips with consumers and businesses around the state. You can get more information from your bank or from the special Cyber Security center in the Consumer Information section of our website, www.gabankers.com.

Joe Brannen is president and CEO of the Georgia Bankers Association.