By Jo Ana Alvarado, Chief Information Officer and Andre Garcia, Cybersecurity Administrator
You seem to hear about another company suffering from a cybersecurity attack every day. Research reflects this: In 2023, 3,205 security compromises were recorded, a 72% increase from 2021.
For Opportunity Home to continue serving our community and succeeding in our mission, our staff must be aware of the danger and harm of cyber crimes. It only takes one person to cause a potential breach of our computer systems and data, which could grind our services to a halt.
Our Innovative Technology department thrives on the mantra of “Keep Cybersecurity Top of Mind!”.
We introduced this message to all staff in 2017. The idea was that Cyber security is not just an IT responsibility it is EVERYONE’s responsibility to be vigilant in HELPING IT keep us cyber safe! Security “Top of Mind” is a responsible ethos for all to be more cyber aware. That means when we work, we must be aware of how we use technology and handle sensitive information and to whom we share it internally and externally. To help us in this goal, we make sure to provide all the training and tools our teams need to become champions in cyber awareness.
Training and Tools for Cybersecurity
For training, we introduced a powerful cybersecurity learning platform called KnowBe4. The name is appropriate because you should KNOW BEFORE you click! This tool helps improve cyber behavior in the workplace. Our employees are required to take several training courses in KnowBe4 to learn about the latest tactics and trends cybercriminals are using to trick victims into giving them access to their computers and accounts. Since implementing KnowBe4, we have dramatically decreased our click rate for phishing emails by testing them with simulated emails. This demonstrates to us that the behavior of recognizing bad actors’ attempts to infiltrate our enterprise is working! It takes just one click to send an organization into absolute disruption. The more our staff learn, the lower the risk of clicking that bad link of no return.
Technical tools are a powerful part of our cyber arsenal. The primary mission we practice when keeping cyber security “Top of Mind” is protecting and defending the Opportunity Home enterprise. We are in trust and care of our most precious assets – resident and employee data! We invest in state-of-the-art technical tools and software like Endpoint Detection and Response, VPN software, and email filters. These are just a few examples of the technologies we leverage to protect data and business systems from online threats. We implement best practices to warn and advise users of potential bad email threats. The IT team maintains a shared chat space called Security “Top of Mind,” where the IT team posts relevant, current threats to stay on top of the ongoing threat landscape. Our IT team also constantly sends newsletters about new and interesting events in the cyber world via email and on our company website. By learning what the bad guys are doing, we know what to look out for when communicating with residents and partners in the digital space, keeping everyone we work with safe. We believe the more you know, the more proactive you can be in fighting the cyber battle.
Cyber Safety Through Digital Literacy
ConnectHomeSA is a resident digital literacy program that is used to help residents to be cyber safe. Using the Northstar platform to teach digital literacy skills, self-paced and in-person formats, the Internet Basics and Email modules cover basic cybersecurity topics such as common phishing tactics and ways to stay safe while using the internet. The partner-led Chrome Essentials classes taught by our partner OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) also cover the same information within their courses of residents 50+ years of age. In the 24/25 fiscal year, ConnectHomeSA has had 70 people complete either one of these (2) forms of digital literacy classes. We plan on doing more resident awareness to help with scams that are now targeting the most vulnerable housing residents.
Stay Vigilant
Unfortunately, our employees aren’t the only targets hackers and scammers are targeting. Recently, false job postings on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, have promoted employment positions at our organization. Additionally, emails have been reported falsely claiming to be move-in approvals from our Housing Choice Voucher program. Both scams urgently asked for money up-front using email addresses not from Opportunity Home. It is important that EVERYONE is vigilant about cybercrime. Even pop culture icon and TV show host Andy Cohen has been a victim; just earlier this year, he explained how he was scammed over the phone and unwittingly transferred large sums of money out of his bank account. How did the criminals do it? By pretending to be his own bank.
Cybersecurity awareness is crucial for everyone, whether an individual, an employee, or an organization. Protecting personal and professional data is not just the responsibility of IT professionals but of every individual. By staying informed about the latest cyber threats, practicing safe online habits, and utilizing available tools and resources, we can collectively create a more secure digital environment for ourselves and others.
Remember, cybersecurity is not just a concern for large corporations; it affects us all, and it is up to each one of us to be alert, and aware and keep digital safety, Top of Mind!