Stay alert and safe with cybersecurity training
by Michael Choe | Oct. 18, 2021
I used to think everything on my phone and computer was safe since only I was handling those devices. That is, until I received an unexpected email reporting Instagram login activity from Los Angeles and later that same week, another notification that a password change for Facebook was successful.
Our company puts in a lot of effort into making sure that online data is safely transmitted, received, and stored — even more so now that our world has become more virtual-friendly. This not only keeps our company’s information secure, but also our customers’ information.
We receive training regularly where we learn how to deal with situations involving cyberattacks, familiarize ourselves with common hacking methods, and review proper procedures to follow once we identify a malicious attempt. Sometimes, we’ll even get staged emails that test employees to see how we perform against suspicious messages.
In a recent Honolulu Star-Advertiser article, Jason Benn, our senior vice president of information technology and chief information officer, said that “our systems are constantly under attack” and that “we’re on the front line of a different domain of warfare.” You may not like the long passwords that our Information Assurance department requires you to set for your online account, but it does prevent hackers from easily accessing your personal information.
All kinds of tactics are used to try to gain access to our information. I’m sure you’ve received emails congratulating you for winning a sweepstakes you never entered or demanding that you make a payment by clicking a link. The skills I’ve learned in my training have helped me avoid potentially dangerous situations. I can now recognize suspicious emails and know what to do when I receive one from a hacker trying to infiltrate my computer. In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I’d like to share some of those basic tips in this short video. Hopefully these tips will help you stay alert and keep you cyber safe.
Michael Choe is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric Company.
