Protecting your data and electronic devices during a natural disaster

Oct 31, 2012 6:08am

The following is a guest blog from the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. campaign.

Hurricane Sandy is on her way out of the East Coast after causing heavy rains, very high winds, power outages, flooding, and other damage.

While the primary concern is always being able to provide shelter and food for you and your loved ones during severe weather, it is also important to have a plan in place for when your technology devices stop working.

Do you have important telephone numbers documented as part of an emergency communications plan? Is your data backed up? Do you a have family emergency plan? 

Ready.gov has several resources to help individuals learn what to do before, during, and after a natural disaster. Taking simple preventative measures before an emergency will help make it easier for you and your family to quickly recover your critical data.

Businesses must also take additional precautions to protect networks, servers, desktop and laptop computers and wireless devices during natural and man-made disasters. Ready.gov has resources to help businesses develop information technology continuity plans and recovery strategies to help restore operations as soon as possible to meet the needs of their businesses.

During and after a disaster, remember the same cybersecurity rules apply to help protect your virtual assets:

• Only connect to the Internet over secure, password- protected networks.  
• Trust your gut; if you think something is too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Beware of emails that request personal information over the Internet.
• Cyber criminals often use phishing scams to take advantage of those that want to help disaster victims.

Click here for more tips and guidance on phishing. If you feel you’ve been a victim of a malware attack, phishing scheme, or another cybercrime, contact your local law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.