What will you do to up the cyber security measures?

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) and Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), to highlight October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Wisconsin.

Together, they are working to promote several everyday practices, that the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, and National Cybersecurity Alliance recommend Americans implement this month, whether they be for personal or organizational use.

Everyone benefits from improved online and device security. As new technologies enter the digital spaces society already relies on, it is more important than ever, to strengthen and adapt cybersecurity habits. These habits may require adjustment, but they are simple, effective and easy to remember.

Keep them in mind, when considering how to increase privacy and safety:

• Update software regularly, to fix security risks.

• Create different strong passwords for each account.

• Enable multi-factor login authentication.

• Recognize and report phishing attempts. “Scammers are always searching for new ways to take advantage of consumers,” said DATCP secretary Randy Romanski. “Innovative tools like artificial intelligence, voice cloning and video deepfakes, are not well-understood by most people – but there are still steps we can take to keep ourselves safe from their use by cybercriminals.”

For more information and consumer protection resources from the DATCP, visit ConsumerProtection. wi.gov.