Why cybersecurity is a team sport
Cybersecurity is a team sport.
And that's even more true today, said Chuck Kennedy, Vice President, Global Security and Defence at TD.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the cybersecurity landscape. Not only can powerful AI models help expose cybersecurity flaws within organizations, but these tools can also be used by bad actors to gain access to systems and perpetrate fraud and scams.
Kennedy said organizations across Canada, and throughout the world, are working together to help bolster security for all.
At TD, teams – often with the assistance of AI tools – work to help keep clients and colleagues safe.
"If you think of the world of security, of any organization, as an onion, the different layers are the types of security we rely on to ensure that you can't get down to the middle, which is the area we're trying to protect," said Kennedy.
While artificial intelligence can work to try and break through those layers, Kennedy said teams at TD, are working at a never-before-seen pace to help manage this risk.
That team sport analogy extends beyond an organization like TD. Individuals have a role to play when it comes to protecting themselves, too.
3 ways to help protect against frauds and scams
AI can make it more difficult to spot fraud. With AI, scammers can write better, more convincing phishing and smishing (phishing via text) messages and can even convincingly impersonate friends, family, and famous people via phone calls, images, and videos. AI has also made it easier for scammers to generate and distribute large volumes of increasingly sophisticated (and easier-to-fall-for) phishing and smishing messages at scale.
But, even as technology advances, we can still heed tried and true fraud prevention advice to help stay safe.
1. Verify everything
"Always try to verify on a different communications channel," said Kennedy. That means, if you receive a fishy or unexpected phone call or message from a loved one or an institution, like a government agency or your bank, try to confirm its authenticity using an alternative mode of communication.
For instance, if you get an unexpected call or text from your bank, even if it sounds legitimate, hang up and call back using a verified number, like the one on the back of your debit card.
Receive an email from your boss asking you to purchase something slightly unusual, such as gift cards? Receive a call from your bank telling you someone will come to your home to pick up your debit or credit card? Verify their request over the phone, or even, in-person.
Many of us are familiar with two-factor authentication emails and text messages. But now, many organizations, including TD, are moving towards in-app verification. For instance, when you make an online purchase with a TD-issued credit card, you might be prompted to verify the purchase in-app.
"You're going to see more of that because you will have opened that app up yourself and you'll be in control," Kennedy said.
2. Choose strong passwords
This might seem like the oldest piece of advice, but strong passwords remain important. It's equally important to avoid reusing passwords across different platforms.
"I'm making sure that I'm doing upper and lower case, I'm throwing in special characters, I'm meeting or exceeding the requirements of the password that I'm asked to enter," said Kennedy.
An easy way to create a strong password is to think of an easy-to-remember phrase, like Go Jays. To make it a strong password, you could try: G0-J@y5. Can't keep track of all of your passwords? You can try using a secure password management system.
3. Learn about the changing cybersecurity landscape
While stories about AI-enabled frauds and scams make their way into the regular news cycle, Kennedy said, the average Canadian has a lot to learn about the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape.
He recommends doing some basic research about the threats – and opportunities – posed by new AI models, and what organizations and governments around the world are doing to prepare.
It's also important to share knowledge about cybersecurity with family and friends. Not only can this help boost fraud prevention, but it can begin to make those around you more comfortable verifying everything and sharing if they've fallen – or almost fallen – for a scam.
It's a team sport, after all.
