Interview edited for clarity.
Transcript
FRED FLETCHER-FIERRO: It's Morning Edition on KRPS, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro. Many of us use all sorts of types of technology at work, supported by an IT department that helps with safeguarding and protecting the equipment and the network.
Although at home, we are likely our own IT department, and we need to stay up to date on how networks and computer systems work. Regional Director of the Better Business Bureau in Springfield, Missouri, Pam Hernandez, joins us this morning with cybersecurity tips and resources. Good morning, Pam.
PAMERLA HERNANDEZ: Good morning.
FRED: You know, Pam, I'll admit... There's a lot to get to, and I don't know, even looking at the resources on the Better Business Bureau site, I don't know what the top-line thing is. So I'm gonna let you fill in whatever the top line is.
PAM: Oh, that's a great question because there is so much there. Maybe the top line is simply, how are you securing your home and your home network? Just like you were mentioning in the office, in the workplace, you've got an IT department who's working to make sure that that network is safe, that you have everything. up to date, and we're just not as good about doing that at home.
So whether that is making sure the iOS is up to date on your phone, for example, or making sure that you're doing security up for your smart TV. That's another thing people probably don't think about to even creating a separate Wi-Fi network for the smart home devices that could be transmitting sensitive or personal information.
FRED: Yeah, there are so many things. You might have a smart TV, obviously, or phones, or tablets. Maybe you have a Ring doorbell with the cameras on there. Maybe you have a smart refrigerator that's connected to the internet somehow. I mean, I think people forget. There are two things.
They're both; they forget how many wired-connected things they have, and they're overwhelmed by it. And so they see this problem being overwhelmed by it. They figure, well, I'm just one guy living on the street. Nobody's going to touch what I have. Also something else you brought up already is that it does take work, although not a lot of work. I feel that a lot of software providers have made securing our systems easier than it was in the past.
PAM: It is easier, and we do have more control if we go out, and we know where to go and how to take that control. So, for example, a lot of the devices that you mentioned, you have an account to sign into. And within that account, you can make sure that you regularly change the passwords. You can make sure you're getting any updates. You can update your privacy settings so that you have control over what data is being shared beyond what is absolutely necessary for your device's function.
FRED: You know, something else that comes up too, when you're setting up the router at your home, it's often a default password and username. And many of us don't change that, even though it only takes a couple of minutes to change it, and then you're much more secure. It's even details like that, I think, that people overlook or when they're at home, they're at home, they want to relax. They don't want to worry about this networking stuff.
PAM: As connected as we are, it's something we just have to do. I know it feels like another job, but you're absolutely right. That basic step of making sure you change the. the default password, and then making sure that that is a private network. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to look for a network for Wi-Fi connection to find many open networks that don't appear to be businesses that are just simply out there for anyone to connect to.
FRED: Right, yeah, maybe. People aren't aware of how important it is to learn a little bit about this. I've compared, for instance, to changing on the car, doing your brakes and stuff like that. It doesn't, you know, for most brakes, there's only three bolts that hold the whole brake system together on the front end of a car. It's not a lot of work, but it's learning how to do it and why it's important and doing it right. That's what I hear you describing here. Changing the oil on a car is pretty easy. It's just learning how to do it the right way and learning why it's important.
PAM: Exactly, learning how to do it and then setting up a schedule. I have a little reminder, right, for that oil change. Just having little reminders, things you can do to help you remember to check for those updates, and change passwords on a regular basis. I know a lot of folks don't like to change passwords, but it's important that we do that.
FRED: Pam, come on.
PAM: They are, but a password manager goes a long way. And having that password manager to help you make sure you can keep track of everything and that you're updating on a regular basis. It is more of a pain if someone hacks into, let's say, your social media account or your smart TV, and you have to deal with that versus doing that routine maintenance, just like you said, you do on your car.
FRED: I'll admit, after a previous conversation with you about password managers, I believe I signed up for one, and I was a little leery at first. It's a free account, how secure it could be. But man, even if you have a password manager on one computer, say it's your office computer, And because when you work for the state, for instance, they have a lot of different passwords. It's very strict security here, but that password manager has been a godsend, even if I just use it for one computer.
PAM: So helpful. I don't know what I would do without mine. And you can keep more than passwords in there, too, if you need to. Sometimes you want to keep information that you need readily available in a secure place. You can put that in your password manager as well. So it's really an important tool. that I wish more people would take advantage of.
FRED: Yeah, there's a lot to talk about this subject with so many devices and networks and settings, and operating systems. So, where would be the best place to go online, ironically, for resources to learn more about this topic?
PAM: Well, the good news is BBB has a cybersecurity HQ. So if you go to bbb.org, you can search for cybersecurity HQ or just type BBB cybersecurity HQ into your favorite internet browser. It'll get you there. So much information for home, for business, that you can use to stay safe.
FRED: Regional Director of the Better Business Bureau in Springfield, Missouri, Pamela Hernandez. Thanks again for your time and information, Pam.
PAM: Thanks for having me.
FRED: It's Morning Edition on KRPS. I'm Fred Fletcher Fierro.
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