HB&O helps clients become cyber security aware

Many businesses in Leamington and Coventry are more cyber security aware thanks to two insightful seminars hosted by HB&O and delivered by OmniCyber Security.

As part of its efforts to help clients stay ahead of the game, HB&O decided to run the free events for clients having recently completed company-wide training with OmniCyber Security. Rather than focusing on statistics and theory, the seminars included a live demonstration of how easy it can be to clone a website and trick people into disclosing personal data.

Attendees were also shown how quickly data can be commoditised and sold on the dark web – a sobering experience for everyone.

Mark Ashfield, Managing Director of HB&O said:

“There is a lot of talk about cyber security and the importance of strong passwords. However, OmniCyber Security was able to demonstrate just how easy it is to be fooled into logging into a site which looks identical to an established site, and inadvertently reveal your secure password.”

“The techniques cyber criminals use have become very advanced. It’s essential for us all to take appropriate steps to protect our personal and business data and take the time to question whether an email, link or even contents on a USB stick could be malicious.”

OmniCyber Security advises using two factor authentication wherever possible, and unique passwords for every account which can be managed more easily via a password vault application. Passwords that are 12 characters long will take considerably longer to crack than 8 character passwords.

When it comes to emails, before clicking on a link, ask yourself whether it’s reasonable that the person purporting to send the email is likely to have done so. If in doubt, contact the person directly before clicking any links, or speak to your IT team for guidance.

You can sign up for future HB&O events here.