Welcome back to episode 2 of the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. Today, we’re talking about something many people have experienced at least once in their lives, and something Jillian herself had to deal with recently. We’re tackling the topic of hacking. What are the warning signs? What can we do if it happens to us? How can we protect ourselves? Just like anything bad that happens, it rears its ugly head when you least expect it.
A few years ago, Jillian experienced a data breach, which eventually ended up leading to this experience. Recently in Washington, an unemployment scam used people’s identities and data (including Jill’s) to open unemployment accounts, hoping to garner the money from the government under a false name. There were signs of being hacked–changing passwords, accounts that don’t look familiar, and late-night emails. Of course, sorting out the problem was no small task. Thousands of people are calling in to file for
unemployment, have questions answered, or other totally legitimate needs. Finally, after an extraordinary amount of calls, the problem was sorted. All in all, the process was quite a nightmare.
So, how could this have been prevented? There are a few methods Jillian says. One is dual authentication. This is a process that keeps your data safe by requiring two forms of authentication to log in to platforms. A code is sent to you via a text or an application on your phone, which you enter into the platform you’re logging on to. From there, you can work as you normally would. This way, no one can sign in without having access to your phone.
Another important step to take is considering something called “Number Lock.” This is a service provided by your cellphone company that only allows your number to be used or transferred with your permission. If a hacker gains access to your phone and phone number, they have access to everything.
From a business perspective, using a password vault like 1Password is a great way to house your team’s passwords, share access to certain platforms without sharing the master password that the owner keeps. With this layered on top of dual authentication and Number Lock, security is certainly elevated, and you have the freedom to throttle access as you see fit.
There are absolutely more steps every business can take to uplevel their security, but I hope you found a place to start with this episode. Head to heyjillian.com to find out more!
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Thanks for the great advice!