It seems that every other day we hear news of a security breach at yet another large company. Due to the nature of the crime, the very best hackers are focusing their efforts on credit card companies, banks and large retail stores. They are seeking to access millions of records with all manner of financial information. At that level, cybersecurity is like a chess game of attacks, defensive strategies and counter attacks. We are one of roughly 350,000 congregations in the U.S. What steps are we taking to secure your sensitive information?

Viruses (Malware)

We begin our multi-layered security with a strong firewall separating our network from the outside world. Each one of our computers is protected from computer viruses by a purchased anti-virus program (as opposed to free programs that may not be as thorough).

Ransomware

During a ransomware assault, the victim is instructed to call a number and pay a “ransom” for the decryption of their own files. The first lines of  defense against this threat are awareness and education. The staff has been instructed to be aware when opening emails and attachments and not to open unknown files. Knowing the websites we interact with on a regular basis is also key. Downloading files from unknown websites is a dangerous game. A second line of defense here at First Church is the daily backup of our server and our desktop computers to a cloud server. If our files were compromised with ransomware, we could wipe the hard drive clean and restore our data to a time prior to infection.

Phishing (Social Engineering)

These computer scams may take the form of a foreign prince (or princess) who picked you to share their millions. Ha! An email may seem to come from a trusted person (maybe one of the pastors) asking you to purchase iTunes gift cards as a favor with the promise that you will, of course, be reimbursed! You may even receive an email seemingly from your own email address saying that a scammer has hacked into your account and has proof of all the naughty sites you’ve visited. The scammer will give you instructions on how to make a blackmail payment with Bitcoin. They are very kind, supplying step-by-step instructions. Such an attack is nothing more than a bluff that simply needs to be ignored. It is important to realize that scammers are always thinking up new and creative ways to get people’s money. Just remember, they prey on your emotions, your kindness and your fear.

At First Church, we have a trusted and very knowledgeable vendor who has been with us for years. He understands our systems and the threats we face. My background in Information Systems and Software Development allows us to work well together. We make it a priority to keep your information safe as we seek to serve the congregation and to honor the Lord in all we do.

by Ed Gonzalez, Office Manager

Cybersecurity Terms
Viruses, also known as malware (which stands for malicious software), are software programs that bring harm to a computer system by stealing protected data, deleting documents or adding software not approved by a user.

A firewall serves as a gatekeeper for a network. It blocks unwanted incoming internet traffic while allowing safe information through. If an attempt to breach the firewall occurs, a report is generated.

Ransomware is an attack on a network where a program is introduced that blocks access to a computer system until a sum of money  (ransom) is paid.

Phishing or Social Engineering is a fancy term that basically means “scams.” They take on various forms and often require either  purchasing something as a favor or sharing your personal information—passwords, bank accounts, credit card info, etc. in order to receive a monetary gift.