Cyber Hygiene for Heating & Cooling (HVAC) Business Operations: Secure Work Habits and Data Protection

Cyber hygiene

The set of everyday habits and procedures that keep your devices, accounts, and data secure.

Confidentiality

Ensures that only authorized people can access specific data.

Integrity

Protects data from being changed in unauthorized or accidental ways.

Availability

Ensures that systems and information remain usable when needed.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

A security measure that requires two or more forms of identification to access an account.

Phishing

An attack method where attackers use deceptive messages to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.

Least privilege

The principle of limiting access rights for accounts to the bare minimum permissions they need to perform their work.

Incident reporting

The process of informing the relevant authorities about a cyber security incident or potential threat.

Authorization

Permission granted to an individual to access or use certain information or resources.

Clean desk policy

A security practice that mandates not leaving sensitive information unattended on desks or in vehicles.

Shoulder surfing

When someone observes you inputting sensitive information, like a password, from a distance.

Tailgating

An unauthorized person gaining entry to a restricted area by following an authorized individual.

Social engineering

Psychological manipulation used to trick individuals into revealing confidential information.

Credential theft

The illegal acquisition of a user's login credentials to access secure systems.

Authorization

Permission granted to access or use specific resources or information.

Data leakage

The unauthorized transmission of data from within an organization to an external destination.

Password manager

A tool that helps users create, store, and manage passwords securely.

Brute force attack

A method used by attackers to gain access by systematically trying all possible passwords until the correct one is found.

Dictionary attack

A method where an attacker tries commonly used words and combinations to breach an account.

Passphrase

A longer password made up of multiple words or a sentence intended to be easy to remember.

Remote access

Connecting to an organization's systems from geographically separate locations, often requiring VPNs.

Incident reporting

The process of documenting and notifying about a security incident in a timely manner.

Secure channel

A method of communication that ensures the confidentiality and integrity of the transferred data.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

A policy allowing employees to use personal devices for work purposes.

Secure Wi-Fi

A network that uses encryption and security protocols to protect data transmission.

Clean vehicle policy

Similar to a clean desk policy, it ensures no sensitive information is left visible in company vehicles.

Vishing

Voice phishing, where attackers use phone calls to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.