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ReadersSpeak

Nine tips to protect your data eos. Do not perform online shopping, banking, or
other sensitive tasks when on public Wi-Fi or in a
public place.
ayments professionals routinely convey to merchants the Configure privacy settings
importance of PCI compliance. A portion of merchants,
however, fail to grasp the concept. Sometimes having Often, default device privacy and browser set-
P information presented in a different way speeds under- tings are not configured to the user's advan-
standing. The following tips are condensed from advice offered by tage. To make devices more secure, customize
SecurityHQ's Vanashree Chowdhury and Eleanor Barlow: advanced device privacy and browser settings.
Block auto cookie and location tracking. Disable
Secure your Wi-Fi network auto-download and auto-run of Flash.

If your network is not secure, it is easy for people to access it and Protect your PII
steal data from your devices. It is equally as easy for bad actors to
hijack your connection to conduct crime. To ensure preliminary se- Personally identifiable information (PII) such as
curity, change the default administrator password to a strong pass- phone number, birth date, and bank account de-
word that follows security protocols. tails can be used to identify, locate, or contact an
individual. Refrain from posting such informa-
Disable bluetooth and Wi-Fi in public tion on publicly visible platforms, storing it unen-
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi settings can be exploited if not disabled when crypted, or physically noting it down.
not in use. Even with access restrictions and password protection Don’t save information
in place, cybercriminals can hack into your device via Bluetooth to
gain access to data such as emails, text messages, pictures, and vid- Websites and browsers allow you to save sensitive
data such as passwords and credit card informa-
tion for future use, but do not save it. Store pass-
words in a password manager and sensitive infor-
Grow your mation in encrypted f iles. Also, closely monitor
your financial transactions to flag payments you
ISO/Agent portfolio have not made so you can react quickly.
Avoid unknown sites

Cyber criminals create thousands of fake web-
sites, often spoofs of legitimate sites, to spread
malware, carry out spam campaigns and phishing
attacks. Check security protocols, certi fications
and a secure payment gateway on websites.
Verify before you click
Links, pop-ups, and downloads can contain vi-
ruses and malware. Phishing emails are known
to use fear-inducing or enticing tactics to manip-
ulate victims into submitting sensitive informa-
tion. Verify the source before clicking any links.

Carefully back-up data
Having a data back-up is advisable in case your
files are damaged or inaccessible due to a cyber-
attack. However, make sure you control where
your data is uploaded and stored, and who has
access to it.
Report suspicious activity

go.globalpaymentsinc.com/agent-iso If you notice anything suspicious, report to your
cyber security team instantly, so that immediate
Visit us at MWAA | Booth GS09 action can be taken to mitigate the cyber threat.
For more in-depth data security advice, case stud-
ies, data sheets and more see https://securityhq.com.

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