RP-923-0824 Tracking #619636 (Exp. 08/27)
Recovering from a Cyber Attack
Cyber-attacks can happen to anyone, so it is crucial to understand when you are a victim of one to ensure you act quickly and minimize potential damage. According to the 2023 IC3 Report, over the last 5 years there were a total of 3.79 scam complaints that led to 37.4 Billion total losses. If you are a victim to a cyber-attack, it is important to take immediate steps to mitigate damage to protect your business and your clients. Please consider following the steps below if you believe to be a victim of a one of these attacks.
Remain calm
Cyber-attacks are most successful when victims are reactive and emotional. It is important to stay composed, as panic and instant reactions can lead to rash decisions. Take steps to regain control of your accounts by notifying your advisor office.
Change your passwords
Immediately change or reset passwords for all impacted accounts. Be sure to use strong, unique passwords because bad actors often gain access to accounts by compromising the credentials of the victim.
Check your accounts
Continuously monitor your financial, online, and social media accounts for any suspicious activity. Additionally, set up alerts for each account to notify you of unusual or unauthorized activity. Any sign-in attempts from an unverified location can be monitored and alerts can be sent to you to verify before account access is provided.
Educate and learn
Education on cyberattacks is crucial to reducing your risk and securing accounts. Adopting a proactive response can save time and headaches when encountering them. Additionally, understanding how an attack occurred will help prevent future ones from being successful.
Cyberattacks will continue to plague the internet and will inevitably lead to successful breaches and compromises in the future. Therefore, it is imperative to understand and follow steps in the case you are a victim. By following the steps laid out above, you can mitigate the damage caused by a cyberattack and regain access to your accounts faster than expected.
This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. This material was prepared by LPL Financial, LLC