https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
Banking Technology
    • Newsletter
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Content Resources
    • From the Industry
    • Galleries
    • Our Sponsors
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Think Tank
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Digi Awards
    • MSP 501 Rankings
    • Talkin’ Cloud 100
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
  • More
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Advertise on Channel Futures
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Calendar
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Content Resources
    • From the Industry
    • Galleries
    • Our Sponsors
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Think Tank
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Circle of Excellence
    • Digi Awards
    • MSP 501 Rankings
    • Talkin’ Cloud 100
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
  • More
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Advertise on Channel Futures
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

From the Industry


Sponsor Content

Money in strong box

Keep Hackers from Ruining Your Retirement

  • August 20, 2018
Identity theft activities are being used more frequently to target retirement savings in plan accounts.

Let’s be honest: How often are you checking in on your retirement funds?

I’m not talking about glancing at your statement to make sure you are on course to retire to Cabo or to make changes to your contributions. I’m talking about going even deeper. For example, how often are you logging in and making sure everything in your account is accurate? When was the last time you checked your mailing address? Email address? Your preferred method of notification when changes have been made to your account? Better yet, when was the last time you changed your account password? Is it strong enough to thwart a hacker?

If you’re not nearing retirement or are more of a “set it and forget it” investor, chances are you haven’t really taken much notice. Even for those closing in on retirement, checking things like your mailing address or email probably isn’t something you are focused on when looking at your account.

But these are the type of things we should check on a regular basis to help protect ourselves and our retirement from cybertheft. Identity theft activities are being used more frequently to target retirement savings in plan accounts.

And, depending on your brokerage firm, there may be nothing they can–or will–do about it!

Did I get your attention?

Recently, several participants in the savings and retirement plan of a large international defense, aerospace and security company were the targets of identity theft through what is believed to have been a phishing attack. The cybercriminals were able to gain personal information and use that information to gain access to several plan participants’ accounts.

In one instance, the cybercriminals were able to breach an account and halt the participants’ mail notifications before requesting a fund transfer. By stopping the mail, the plan participant never would have received written confirmation of the transfer request. Once they were made aware of the incident, the company’s third-party administrator was able to quickly stop or reverse the fraudulent transactions.

However, the company took this incident to remind their plan participants that identity theft is a crime against individuals. Meaning, if you are a victim of identity theft, you would need to work with law enforcement to investigate the crime and ultimately seek restitution and recover any losses.

Most brokerage firms take the same position.

That is, if the brokerage firm itself is breached, you will usually be reimbursed. However, if your individual account is breached because you were the target of a phishing scam, you may not be as lucky.

For example, say you open an email that appears to be from your brokerage firm and it directs you to review your monthly statement or perhaps tells you there is a problem with your account. You click the link and login to what you think is your firm’s website. Everything appears to be fine, so you move on. Unfortunately, that email was fake, the website was a spoof, and cybercriminals now have full credentials and access to your account.

In this situation, your brokerage firm could deny reimbursing you any funds you are out by claiming you fell for a phishing scam–despite the scam producing a credible yet replicated website.

What should you do to stay safe? Here are some simple steps that apply to any online account, not just your retirement plan.

PROTECT YOUR FUTURE

Review: Regularly review account statements. Be sure to report any errors or suspected fraudulent activity.

Passwords: For your online account, make sure you have a strong password. Be sure to include upper and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, etc. Make sure it does not use any personal information such as your birthdate, and be sure to change it on a regular basis. As an added measure, make sure you are using different passwords for each online account.

Two-step verification: Also known as two-step authentication, this will help make it more difficult for hackers to get into your account by adding an extra layer of security. With this process, if you attempt to login to your account from an unrecognized computer, you will be sent a unique code (via text or email) that will need to be entered before you can gain access to your account.

Computer security: Make sure the security on your computer is up to date, including firewalls, antivirus software, antispyware, software patches, etc. Do not use public computers to access your account if possible. 

WiFi: Use caution if you are using a wireless connection to access you online accounts. Make sure you have updated and enabled all the security features on your computer or device. Avoid using public WiFi to check financial accounts.

Watch what you click: Approach emails asking you to verify your financial information with skepticism. Do not click on any link within the email or open any attachments unless you have verified it is a legitimate link.

These tips to keeping your online investment account safe from fraud and more can be found at www.investor.gov.

This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.

 

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Best Practices From the Industry Security AppRiver Sponsor Content

Related


  • Launch
    Dell EMC Launches 2019 Partner Program Focused on Growth
    The Dell EMC team gets pretty detailed on how partners can make money with the company.
  • What Is The Best Time Of Day For Making Cold CallsOne of the questions I get asked most often is What is the best time of day for making cold calls If you are an SMB owner with only an hour or so to dedicate to outbound calling daily you should make cold calls when you are feeling the most energetic For me personally that is always before lunch I start my day fully energized and slowly lose power as the day goes on  What are your power hours  Devote those hours to building your business You w
    The MSP’s Ultimate Guide to Cold Calling
    Learn how to generate more leads for your business.
  • Information Security
    A Business Owner’s Guide to Cybersecurity
    Let’s be honest: How often are you checking in on your retirement funds? I’m not talking about glancing at your statement to make sure you are on course to retire to Cabo or to make changes to your contributions. I’m talking about going even deeper. For example, how often are you logging in and making […]
  • Light Bulb and Cloud
    IBM Brings Another Energy Company Into Its Cloud
    Smart Energy Water will host some key enterprise apps on the IBM Cloud.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Kaseya Survey: Many MSPs Identifying by Vertical Specialty
  • Scale Computing Grows MSP Program to Challenge Nutanix, Pivot3
  • Nvidia GPU-Powered Workstation Service Released in Microsoft Azure Marketplace
  • Sophos: Processes, Policies Critical in Health Care Security

Galleries


MSPs On … Struggles with the Skills Shortage

February 15, 2019

Check Point CPX360 Featuring VMware, Versa Networks

February 8, 2019

Channel Futures’ People Mover: Datto, Symantec, ConnectWise

January 21, 2019
view all

Twitter


ChannelFutures

.@CenturyLinkBiz embraces new stricter @awscloud #MSP partner requirements. goo.gl/fb/WwDzco

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@ISC2 announces new #cybersecurity continuing education program. goo.gl/fb/nWbJY1

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

We asked 7 #MSP501 partners about their frustrations with finding good talent. @BowmanWilliams goo.gl/fb/fyzLLj

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@LenovoDC sees a strong year ahead for partners with a hard focus on #storage. goo.gl/fb/xvtYKp

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@Nvidia brings virtual #GPU workstation as a service to #Azure Marketplace, also planned for #WVD. goo.gl/fb/SpCCBx

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@googlecloud gets a boost via a larger salesforce, $13 billion in #datacenter investments. goo.gl/fb/vfnwhb

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@IBM is making its #Watson #AI services available on @awscloud @Azure and other cloud platforms. goo.gl/fb/mx7itA

February 15, 2019
ChannelFutures

.@KaseyaCorp releases 2019 #MSP Benchmarking study. We get insights from @jimlippie. goo.gl/fb/kZfPZS

February 15, 2019

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for the Doyle Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Update and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

Channel Futures

© Channel Futures 2019. All rights reserved.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Related Links

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow us

Websites are now required by law to gain your consent before applying cookies. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Parts of the website may not work as expected without them. By closing or ignoring this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
X