Hey Dad: sorry for what I am about to share!
…but please keep your plane tickets to visit next month and babysit!
-Jen
Here it goes:
My dad is the best. And...as far as I’m concerned (as a devoted, doting daughter), he has the answers to everything!
...But when it comes to security awareness, well that’s a different story!
DAD’S OFFENSES:
1st Offense: Being Too Trusting
My dad definitely has the “it won’t happen to me” attitude about security attacks. How do I know this? Well take a look at my most recent text conversation with him…
“Macs can’t get Viruses?”
…C’mon Dad!
2nd Offense: Over sharing
And then there was that time when my dad’s intention was to remind my neighbor to water his flowers when he went on vacation, but actually just gave an open invitation to rob his empty house!
Example "Public” Facebook Post:
Dad to Neighbor: Off to Bermuda! Thanks for having the boys water our plants while we are gone! See you in a week!
…C’mon Dad!
The Underlying Problem
Alright. Here’s the real reason I wrote this blog...(and It’s not to pick on my dad).
It’s to shed light on a weakness that many of us have:
turning a blind eye to security awareness in blissful ignorance.
We all have day jobs, work obligations, piles of to-do lists and responsibilities. In the middle of all of that, it’s nice to take a mental break and check your Facebook feeds or other social network accounts. In other words, we all need to turn our brains off from time to time!
But guess what…that’s what attackers are preying on. They are waiting for us to let our guards down, because that is the best time to get what they are searching for!
A healthy dose of paranoia when it comes to security awareness and social media can go a long way in keeping your information safe and secure.
