Page 24 - The Edge - Spring 2018

MINIMIZE CHANCES FOR A CYBER ATTACK Meshinsky drew a hearty round of laughter when he displayed
some of the worst passwords of last year: 123456; Password; 12345678;
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Qwerty; 12345; 123456789; Letmein; Football; and Iloveyou. Starwars

recommends: “Bring outside resources in to help determine the extent was No. 16; trustno1, No. 25; Phoenix, No. 66. and biteme, No. 91.
of the hack. Cyber insurance is something you should look into.” When hackers are phishing for passwords, Meshinsky identi ed
Hackers can gain access to your computer at home if you use it to some of the most successful emails, by subject line. ey include such
control your thermostat, for example. come-ons as: Security Alert; Revised Vacation and Sick Time Policy;
Meshinsky touched on “ e Internet of ings” – that is, internet- Breaking: United Airlines Passenger Dies from Brain Hemorrhage –
connected devices. Products will continue to exist, but only as portals Video; Change of Password Required Immediately; and Urgent Action
to valuable service o erings, he said. More businesses will launch Required.
new connected services to di erentiate themselves and engage with Spear phishing is when hackers go for the CEO, CFO or the chief
customers. Internet-connected devices are expected to quadruple from accountant – the one person the hacker thinks “has the keys to the
12.1 billion in 2013 to nearly 50 billion by 2025. kingdom.” Meshinsky said. “Catch phishing is when you throw a net
Mechinsky told of a school that was forced to close down because over everybody.”
devices such as security cameras, soda machines and projectors, were Meshinsky’s recommended New Year’s security resolutions: Use a
invaded by hackers. He asked how many in the audience use their cell Password Manger; Use di erent passwords for every site and device;
phone as a watch, and said eventually everything will go to cell phones Lock down important accounts with two factor authentication; Backup
and tablets. Laptops will be obsolete. He said there is more power in your computer; Update or upgrade your home router; Wi-Fi Protected
today’s cell phone than in the rst lunar mission. 3 encryption (WPA3), which is coming soon; Clean out your browser
Passwords are the weakest link in cyber security, Meshinsky said. extensions; Remove unused third-party apps; and Encrypt your
Many people recycle passwords, which means they use the same or computers and phones.
similar passwords for all of their accounts because they’re easier to
remember. He cautioned that hackers might visit Facebook, see a picture Robert Meshinsky can be reached at bmeshinsky@gmllc.com.
of the family dog, Spot, and perhaps the dog’s name is used as a password. He is the Practice Leader of Forensic Services and Cyber Security
Password phrases are easier to remember and harder to hack. at WGM Information Security Services LLC in Scottsdale. He has
Meshinsky also recommended putting spaces in a password. “ e also served as an Adjunct Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
longer the password, the harder it is for somebody to crack,” he said. University.

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24 THE EDGE SPRING 2018

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