Practical ways to protect your data and stay safe online
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a nationwide initiative launched in 2004 to help individuals and organizations better understand and defend against cyber threats. With risks like phishing scams, ransomware and identity theft on the rise, now is a great time to take simple, proactive steps to protect your personal and financial information.
Here are three innovations and practices you can start using today:
- Use biometric authentication
Fingerprint scans, facial recognition, and iris scans are becoming more common in mobile devices and banking apps. These methods are more secure than traditional passwords and offer a faster, more convenient way to log in. - Encrypt your data
Advanced Encryption Standards like AES-256 scramble your data into unreadable formats, making it much harder for hackers to intercept. Many cloud services and secure messaging platforms already use this technology, but it’s worth confirming that your providers do too. - Enable real-time fraud monitoring
AI-powered fraud detection tools can flag suspicious activity instantly. Many banks, including Alpine Bank, use these systems to help protect customers from unauthorized transactions. Make sure your financial institution offers real-time alerts and monitoring.
What you can do today
- Keep your software and devices up to date
- Use strong, unique passwords or a password manager
- Turn on multi-factor authentication wherever possible
- Learn to recognize common scams and phishing attempts
- Review your bank’s security settings and features
Cybersecurity is not just a technical issue. It’s about protecting your identity, your finances and your peace of mind. By taking a few simple steps, you can help create a safer digital environment for yourself and your community.
At Alpine Bank, we take your financial security seriously, additional fraud and prevention resources can be found at alpinebank.com/fraud-prevention.
