Cyber

Your IT staff is tired of pulling their hair out trying to convince you to use complex passwords!! Why MFA needs to be implemented!Written by: Kathy Glahn, VP of Operations & Information Systems at Big I New YorkPasswords these days need to keep getting longer and more complex. The new standard is to have a password length of at least 13 characters comprised of letters, numbers and special characters. Passwords should never contain personal information, such as your address, phone number, date of birth, wedding/divorce anniversaries (yes, some of us do celebrate divorces!), family names or pet names. They should also never contain information you…

​​The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is holding a live virtual symposium on Tuesday, March 29 regarding cybersecurity. The free event will be streamed over WebEx. The agenda for the session includes:​A panel discussion on the future of cybersecurity regulation in New York and elsewhereModernization of cybersecurity supervisionThe key cyber risks of 2022. The event will run from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. Advance registration is required and is available inthe Cybersecurity Resources section of the DFS website. Source

Now that the calendar has turned the page and left 2021 in the rearview mirror, the window is open for business entities regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services to submit the annual certification of compliance with the cybersecurity regulation. The requirements have not changed (other than a later deadline) since the regulation first took effect in 2017, but here's a reminder of what does and does not have to be done:Business entities (agencies, brokerages, insurers, banks, credit unions, etc.) must visit the DFS cybersecurity portal and submit the certification on or before April 15, 2022. DFS pushed that deadline back 45…