Heightened Risks from Cyber Criminals
July 2020

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cyber attacks and identity theft cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, both globally and locally. Fear and confusion resulting from the pandemic, along with increased internet activity due to millions of people working and schooling from home, have created fertile ground for cyber criminals. Now more than ever it is critical that we exercise caution and use best practices to protect our information and our assets. Following are two steps you should take to help protect your information from falling into the hands of a cyber criminal. These steps won’t eliminate cyber crime risks but will significantly reduce them. • Use two-factor authentication, also known as two-step verification, any time you login to a website to access banking or financial information. Most financial institutions, including Fidelity and Charles Schwab, can send a unique one-time code to your cell phone to be entered into their website when logging in. Thus, in order to login to the site, you would need your password as well as your cell phone. We highly recommend that you enable this feature as soon as possible. Let us know if you need assistance enabling this important feature. You can add an additional layer of protection through security features with your phone carrier (such as Verizon’s NumberLock and AT&T’s Extra Security Account Passcode). • A second preventative step is to use a password manager. Many people use the same password for multiple sites. If a cyber criminal were to obtain this password, he or she would have access to your information on multiple sites. Password manager tools allow you to keep all of your user ids and passwords in one secure place. They will even suggest unique passwords for each website you visit, so you don’t have to constantly make up new ones. However, you should only use a password manager that requires two-factor authentication upon logging in. Several vendors offer password managers. Two that we know of are www.lastpass.com and www.roboform.com . Your Pathway team is available to assist you navigate what at times can feel like a confusing and overwhelming cyber security landscape. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help. Previous related posts: https://www.pathwayadvisors.com/news/email-cyber-hygiene-april-2019/ https://www.pathwayadvisors.com/news/protect-your-money-from-cyber-thieves/ IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Pathway Financial Advisors, LLC-“Pathway”), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this blog will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this blog serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Pathway. Please remember that if you are a Pathway client, it remains your responsibility to advise Pathway, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Pathway is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the blog content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Pathway’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request. Please Note : Pathway does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Pathway’s web site or blog or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

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Heightened Risks from Cyber Criminals
July 2020

Financial planning for life

Your best interests. Our first priority.

Our sole purpose is to be your trusted advisor.

We work with our clients to identify opportunities, limit financial risks, minimize tax liabilities, and plan a lifetime financial strategy.

We work out of offices in...

Fee-only, individualized service suits our diverse clientele.

Find resources for...

Heightened Risks from Cyber Criminals July 2020

Heightened Risks from Cyber Criminals
July 2020