If you plan to pursue a career in law enforcement, security awareness training is practical. With cybercrimes at an all-time high, no one is safe. The law enforcement sector also faces plenty of threats from hackers and criminal elements online. Here are some of the risks and hazards:
Ransomware
The number of ransomware attacks directed at law enforcement has grown in the last few years. If these attacks succeed, it could mean the potential loss of data that serves as evidence, identity theft, and access to personal details of critical witnesses, allowing criminals to find and intimidate the witnesses or do much worse.
Doxxing
Doxxing is a common attack on police officers, which makes personal information about you public. By releasing personal details about your home, address, family, name, and phone number, hackers make you vulnerable to criminal elements. It turns you into a target. You could also be tracked and ambushed with that much information about you. If you plan on pursuing a law enforcement degree online, participate in a security awareness training program.
Smart Weapons
With the way technology is evolving, even a cellphone can be a weapon these days. Some terrorists rig a phone, turning it into a bomb. Having the ability to tell if a phone is rigged as a bomb or not can be a lifesaver considering the line of work you want.
Security Awareness Tips and Resources
- Secure digital tools. If you use digital tools, make sure they’re secure. If you’ve already gotten your degree and have started working in law enforcement, talk to your superior about bringing in experts to audit the police IT systems. They can check for system problems or weaknesses. Once you know what your IT system’s weaknesses are, you can ask experts to fix them.
- Find trusted vendors. When you look for vendors, choose trusted system providers. Not all companies are trustworthy. If you don’t want to deal with dodgy service providers, do your homework.
- Participate in campaigns designed to spread awareness of the importance of cyber security. You’ll want to engage those who already work in law enforcement in one capacity or another and students who are taking up law enforcement degree programs.
What Else Can You Do?
Whether you are thinking about getting a law enforcement degree or already working in the field, there are steps you can take to protect yourself against cyberattacks. These measures include:
- Keep your software up to date. Some people don’t update their software, thinking it’s a hassle. But updates come with better security functions and capabilities. If you don’t update your software, you are exposing your network and gadgets to potential cyberattacks. If you don’t want your digital tools and devices vulnerable to online hacking, update your software.
- Use two-step authentication. This may sound tedious since you go through more than one step when you sign in to your accounts. But if that keeps your information safe, it’s well worth the trouble.
- Post little to no personal information. Anything you post online can be used to track you and your family, so it would be best not to post anything that can be used against you or your family.
