JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Did you know that by the end of 2025, it’s estimated that more than 75 billion devices will be connected to the internet? With so much of our daily lives now reliant on computer systems and technology, cybercriminals are finding ample opportunity to target individuals and organizations. Teton County Emergency Management wants you to know how to protect yourself, your family, and your devices by learning more about April’s preparedness theme: Cybersecurity.
Cybercriminals do not discriminate; they target vulnerable computer systems regardless of where they are located or who they belong to. Moreover, cybercrime is increasing. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center documented a record number of complaints from the American public in 2021, with an average of 2,300 complaints each day and total potential losses exceeding $6.9 billion.
“We all depend on connected devices at work, home, and for functioning of our core critical services,” says Rich Ochs, coordinator for Teton County Emergency Management. “All it takes is one lapse of security to allow a cryptolocker to hold your data for ransom or a keylogger to steal your passwords. If this happens to you personally, that is a crisis. If it impacts our critical infrastructure like our 9-1-1 system, power grid, or transportation network it can be a disaster that costs lives. We all play a part in our overall community cybersecurity.”
Cybersecurity experts recommend using extreme caution in online communication. Email is the most common method cybercriminals use to collect personal or financial information, to download malicious software on your device, or to gain control of your device and/or network. Here are some tips for safer emailing:
- Verify the sender of an email. Criminals will sometimes change just one letter in an email address to make it look like one you know.
- Be wary of attachments or links. Hover your mouse over a link before clicking to see where it is sending you. If it seems suspicious, do not click on the link or open the attachment.
- Do not trust communications that implore you to act immediately or offer something that sounds too good to be true.
- Avoid giving out personal information, financial information, or login credentials via email.
- If anything about the email seems odd, illogical, or suspicious, it’s best to delete it. You can also use the “junk” or “block” option to stop receiving messages from a particular sender.
