Make sure devices are protected during Cybersecurity Awareness Month

A state department advises households and businesses to take a closer look at their Internet and any potentially connected devices.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has advice for residents in light of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Consumers may not realize how many devices they have that connect to the Internet. For that reason, it’s important to check and update security on these electronics. Go around and review gaming devices, smart watches, thermostats, smart TVs, routers, computers, phones and voice assistants such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Once you have them all gathered, make sure the operating systems and antivirus software are up to date. Also verify that all information is up to date and that usernames and passwords are strong. The department recommends making passwords long and complex.

When prompted by certain sites or devices, choose security questions where only you know the answer.

If possible, use two-factor authentication. For example, some sites may require more than a username and password. They may text an authentication code to your phone, which you input into a field on the site. This measure is increasingly being used by sites to deter hackers or other criminals trying to access your account.