The Stay Safe Online Blog

Cybersecurity in healthcare—like the healthcare industry itself—is all about people, not the doctor’s office. And in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and telemedicine, patients are looking for more control and improved health outcomes, which is driving the industry beyond the four walls of the typical medical setting. In 2020 alone, telehealth is expected to grow a staggering 65 percent. A broader healthcare security strategy must focus on people—the ways they work and the ways protected health information is stored and sent when providing care.

Businesses have been moving towards automation and remote work over the past few years, but digital transformation has been greatly accelerated due to COVID-19. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently put it, “We have seen two years’ worth of digital transformation in two months.”

Want to stay safe online but not sure where to start? Consumer Reports has you covered. As an independent and trusted nonprofit with a proven track record of providing consumers with truth, transparency, and fairness, Consumer Reports and the Digital Lab are committed to transforming consumer safety in our digital world.
Though we enjoy the utility of digital products and services, we are increasingly giving our personal information in exchange for convenience, knowledge, or entertainment. At Consumer Reports, we know your personal information should remain private and protected so we want to help you keep it that way.

Check out the latest free security awareness video – Internet Downloads – provided in partnership by Adobe, Speechless Inc. and the National Cyber Security Alliance. 

It is critical to focus on the impact of data breaches on SMB's and the importance of securing your employee's data.

These days, work and home mean practically the same thing. Our house is now an office space or a classroom, so that means a lot of our day-to-day happens online. We check emails, attend virtual meetings, help our children distance learn, use social media platforms to check in on our friends and family – our entire lives are digital! This increase in connectivity could mean more exposure to threats – but it doesn’t have to. That’s why this National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) you should learn what it means to to be cybersmart and how you can protect all aspects of your online life.

Right now, it may seem overwhelming to look to the future. Everything from how we work, to how our children learn, to how we meet with friends for happy hour has changed; and we are more virtually connected than ever before.

Working remotely suits some people better than others – there’s no commute, perhaps more flexible work schedules and productivity has shown to rise. Despite some clear advantages to this new normal, there are also hazards to working remotely - specifically in the area of cybersecurity. Let’s take a look at what those risks are and how they can be avoided with a few simple security precautions. 

This year has shaped up to be one of the most challenging for many organizations worldwide. With a pandemic driving a large-scale transition to remote work, and cybercriminal activity taking advantage of the situation, online security is in the spotlight. Recent research found that 67 percent of breaches are caused by credential theft and social engineering attacks that capitalize on moments in time like COVID-19. And, today’s IT teams are spending an average of six hours a week on password-related issues alone – an increase of 25% from 2019. With these mounting frustrations from both IT and users, as well as growing risks, the question becomes: why do we keep relying on passwords? 

Because of COVID-19, internet safety education has become a hot topic among our communities. The new normal of working from home left many businesses and families scrambling to figure out how to secure their online environments.