The holiday season is prime time for cybercriminals - be vigilant.

Cybercrimes have become one of the most common types of theft in the world today. Everything from stolen money, theft of personal and financial data, loss of productivity and the damage and destruction of critical corporate or individual data is categorized as cybercrime. Unfortunately, hackers and those that commit cybercrimes are becoming more and more sophisticated.

And while high-profile cybercrimes like the theft of customer information from Target Corporation or Marriott hotels make the big headlines, everyone with a smartphone that does banking or shopping from a home computer are susceptible to a cybercrime.

While no one is going to be sure where and when cybercriminals will be lurking, there are a couple of easy things you can do to lessen the potential exposure to a cybercrime.

·        Change passwords frequently. Never use easily identifiable personal information like a phone number or birth date. And make sure to use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Make your password easy for you to remember, but hard for a hacker to acquire.

·        Keep all computers and smartphones up to date with security protection. Many people forget to review or add additional protection to your smartphone. Cybercrimes involving smartphones and apps are becoming one of the leading areas of cybercrimes.

·        Be extremely diligent when opening emails with attachments. Do not open any attachment unless you are sure of the sender’s intention. If you question the validity, make sure you check with the sender before opening. Many cybercrimes are associated with opening emails with links and attachments that let others have access to your systems.

·        Don’t use free Wi-Fi services, or do so only knowing where they are originating from. The free Wi-Fi may be a cybercriminal attempting to gain access to your smartphone and all the information it contains (like saved passwords). If you would like more information on how you can protect yourself from cybercrimes, visit https://www.ready.gov/cybersecurity

Nodak Insurance Company has partnered with CyberScout to help protect its policyholders with protection from cyber threats. This coverage is built into your homeowner's coverage. This coverage includes:

·        Identity Theft Coverage for the costs associated with expenses incurred in handling an identity theft including legal fees, lost wages and credit report fees.

·        Online Extortion Coverage for the expenses or ransom paid for threats to create or disarm a home network disruption or a privacy breach.

·        System Compromise Coverage for data replacement and system restoration costs as a result of unauthorized access into the insured’s home computer or malware.

·        Cyberbullying Coverage provides for professional counseling, temporary relocation, tutoring and tuition as a result of Insured being cyberbullied.

·        Internet Clean Up Event Coverage covers costs to retain the services of a law firm in response to an instance of factually untrue statements written about the insured published on the internet.

·        Breach Notification covers the cost of notification, investigation and monitoring in the event of a breach of the insured’s home computer.  

Along with the coverage above, Nodak Insurance and CyberScout also have available coverage for Social Engineering Coverage, which covers costs associated with the intentional misleading/deception of an insured leading to direct financial loss.

If you believe you have been a victim of a cybercrime, Cyberscout also offers exceptional customer service and a dedicated professional to work with you to review what occurred and what steps need to be taken to resolve issues and help prevent further loss.

These coverages come with a base limit amount. If you would like to review your cybercrime coverage and see if those coverages are right for your household, reach out to your Nodak Insurance Company agent for more details.

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