050: Cybersecurity for every REALTOR with Juanita McDowell
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This episode is all about cybersecurity and protecting your information. Juanita McDowell joins Monica to share her effective and easy-to-implement tips to keep your data safe. They talk about what cybersecurity is, what we really need to protect, and best practices for several different platforms that agents use regularly in their business.
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- Some agents will collect the same information as an online lender, with full disclosure to their client, so there is someone else they trust with this information. By law, personal information has to be protected.
- When it comes to sensitive information, the \\u201cbiggies\\u201d are social security numbers and date of birth \\u2014 especially birth year. As an agent, if you feel like you need to collect this information, it is your responsibility to destroy it when it\\u2019s no longer needed (shred) and protect it upfront (encrypt before making any digital copies).
- There are certain things you should never put online if you can avoid it; if a hacker or bot gets your information for one site, it is likely they can apply that information to other sites that may be more sensitive.
- When it comes to passwords, it\\u2019s no longer just a strong password \\u2014 2-step verification is key! When creating your password, incorporate lowercase, uppercase, symbols, and numbers. Once you have a strong password, a 2-step verification is an extra layer of security when you sign in from an IP address it doesn\\u2019t recognize.
- If passwords are a challenge for you, use a password locker like LastPass or One Password. You can also create a \\u201cmaster\\u201d password and add a memory jogger that is unique to each site you use your password for.
- We store so much information on our computers and phones, it\\u2019s important to safeguard those devices with passwords as well. Make sure those types of devices are virus protected as well.
- Juanita shares some best practices for using Dropbox, including what you should not post to Dropbox, features within Dropbox that you can use, and doing health checkups to see what all is accessing your DB account.
- With all the different systems we engage with every day, it\\u2019s incredibly important to know what they do and what\\u2019s the best use for them. Spend some time and take inventory of what applications and systems you are using, and do some security check-ups to make sure your apps are up-to-date.
- With subscription-based platforms, the user is the one that needs to tighten them up and make sure they are secure. If you use Google, Juanita\\u2019s homework assignment is to go to myaccounts.google.com and do a security checkup of your account.
- Although it\\u2019s convenient, it\\u2019s not the best idea to store passwords in your browser. A password locker would be better.
- All of your devices need a backup system! You need to make sure that your files are being backed up to a reputable cloud, and you want to double-check the security settings.
- Be very careful about what sensitive information you store in your CRMs. Do your due diligence in picking a CRM provider.
- The number one thing when it comes to email is to SLOW DOWN. Don\\u2019t open attachments or click on links from people you don\\u2019t know, and take a second look from people you do know. You can hover over a link or an email address to make sure it looks legitimate. The other thing about email is to make sure you are checking and responding on a secure network.
- A VPN is a virtual private network, and it creates a secure tunnel for any of your computer traffic when you\\u2019re in a public setting.
- Anything that is posted on social media could be read by anyone or everyone. Even if you delete a post, someone could have already saved or shared this with someone else. There are privacy settings on many social media platforms that can help you recover your data if it\\u2019s compromised. You should also set up 2-step verification for your social media accounts. If you have an account you aren\\u2019t using anymore, just take it down.
- One of the best tips for working with virtual assistants is to create a separate login and password just for them, so they have access to the systems but not your password. Once they are done, change the password so there is no longer access tied to it. It is also important to ensure they have a secure network and their own computer.
- When it comes to home security, make sure you change the default password for your router. Trust your gut when it comes to home security and investigate when things seem off.
- Juanita\\u2019s best practices: stay off free wifi networks unless you have a VPN, create strong passwords, make sure you backup your data. Keep your apps up to date, and know where all of your data is. For agents, put together a data security policy so you know exactly what to do if you are hacked.
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Tweetables:
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\\u201cFirst of all I would challenge people, don\\u2019t get it if you don\\u2019t need it.\\u201d \\u2014 Monica
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\\u201cOne of the problems that we have is that we\\u2019re thinking of the hackers as an individual. Today, our hackers are no longer individuals. They have the sophisticated software that can run bots all over the place.\\u201d \\u2014 Juanita
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\\u201cI always tell my agents anything you type on your computer and you send out into the world, you need to know that it could be read by anybody and everybody in the world.\\u201d \\u2014 Monica
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Guest Links:
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Youtube.com/channel/UCWp3Yrya05q7xbhD8wVccFw
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Additional Links:
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www.crdpodcast.com\\xa0
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Online learning.REALTOR for NAR Online Education
Training4RE.com \\u2014 List of Classroom Courses from NAR and its affiliates
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Host Information:
Monica Neubauer
Speaker/Podcaster/REALTOR\\xae
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Monica\\u2019s Facebook Page
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Additional Bio:
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Juanita McDowell
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Juanita is an international speaker and educator. Every year, her training firm delivers over 200 seminars to entrepreneurs, corporate employees, and associations across the globe. A former Engineer and Global Sales Executive, she speaks on topics such as Technology, Sales, and Marketing. Businesses and associations that have hired Juanita include AT&T, LG, the CDC, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Her expertise has been published in Fast Company magazine and the Investor\\u2019s Business Daily. Juanita is a YouTube Partner with over 2.5 million views on her videos. She\\u2019s also a member of the National Speakers Association and she volunteers as a Technology Partner for Habitat for Humanity.
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