Page 4 November 14, 2019 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Three Simple Words Keep
Online Accounts Safe, Secure
By Rob McCarthy
A strange e-mail appeared in my inbox
this week, and the timing of it almost fooled
me. Earlier in the week, I had posted an
article on LinkedIn about how the U.S.
Census Bureau understands working adults
make an excellent addition to a workforce.
They’re reliable, experienced and their local
knowledge is a huge asset.
LinkedIn is a social media site that is
like Facebook for business professionals.
People use it to promote their subject matter
expertise. Some professionals use LinkedIn
to search for jobs, while others promote their
appearances at trade shows and speaking
events. Birthdays, job promotions and work
anniversaries are shared on it too.
Getting back to the email that dropped into
my inbox this week, it looked suspicious but
it came from LinkedIn. And I had just posted
a new article on the site, so the timing of the
email made it seem legitimate. The subject
line of the email was “Action detected on
your LinkedIn account.” Since I’d used my
account just days before, I was curious.
However, I’m not gullible either. Friends
of mine have had their LinkedIn and Facebook
accounts hacked before after clicking
on a malicious email. That’s the trouble. An
innocent-looking email can be a Trojan horse
programmed to spread using one’s contact
list. In social media circles, an email virus
spreads faster than the flu in January.
My guard was up, thanks to National
Cybersecurity Awareness Month held every
October. Stop. Think. Connect. Those three
words are sound advice for anyone who uses
a computer at home or work, and mobile
devices. We’re all playing defense these days.
All it takes is one careless click to unleash
unintended consequences: identify theft,
bank fraud, Social Security fraud, credit card
purchases, cash advances and ruined consumer
credit. Or, a takeover of your business or
entity’s computer data.
Here are some everyday situations that
will text even the most cyber-savvy citizen:
Q: You receive an email from an online
shopping site claiming that you were incorrectly
charged for your last purchase
and are due a refund. The email asks you
to click a link to start the refund process.
What should you do?
A: Do not click on the link. Tip: Check
the sender’s address and search the document
for spelling or grammar mistakes. If
you notice anything suspicious, the email is
likely a scam. Navigate to the site yourself
rather than clicking any links.
Q: You post a picture of you and your
best friend on your favorite social media
platform. Later, you take it down. Will
this ensure no one else sees the picture?
Answer: No. Once an image is posted
on the Internet, it is virtually impossible to
remove it from circulation. Taking it off of
your social media page will help, but t others
have already seen it or downloaded it.
Q: Automatically updating your computer
poses a significant security concern, as it
could install unwanted programs/features
that disrupt your network or harm your
computer.
Answer: No. Updates contain vital patches
to help protect your computer against attackers.
Keep your machine up-to-date and install
new patches as soon as possible.
Q: Cell phones, tablets and other mobile
devices are not full computers and do
not require software, such as anti-virus,
to be secure.
A: False. Cell phones and tablets are
simply miniature computers. They contain
See Cybersecurity, page 14
Business Briefs
Kiwanis Golf Cup Tournament
Congratulations to Riley Theunissen! pictured here with Bill Ruane, proud Sponsor of the Kiwanis Golf Cup Tournament. Riley was the
winner of Bill’s Text To Win Contest for Lakers Tickets.
Community Briefs
ESUSD Screening of New Documentary to
Spark Discussion on Impact of Social Media
El Segundo Unified is hosting a screening
of the compelling new documentary, LIKE.
More than two billion people have smartphones
today and we check our phones on average
an incredible 150 times every day. Technology
makes our lives easier in so many ways -- but
what is the cost of our dependence, and our
children’s reliance, on screens? LIKE reveals
the true effects of technology on the brain and
uncovers the impact social media can have on
our lives. The film’s mission is to educate,
inform and inspire people to effectively selfregulate
their screen time. The LIKE screening
will be followed by an informative panel
discussion featuring local experts.
The event takes place on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.
at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center and
is open free to the public. Middle and high
schoolers are strongly encouraged to attend
with parents. When social media users chase
“likes” or seek followers, they lose sight of
the fact that their devices are now using them.
The goal of the screening is to raise awareness
about the hidden costs of social media
as well as start a conversation about how to
ensure our own, and our children’s, healthy
use of technology. Among the experts and
special guests are: Dr. Kelly Greco – ESUSD
parent, University of Southern California,
licensed psychologist, therapist Mr. Chris
Stretch – mindset and performance coach,
motivational speaker; Xander Kane – ESHS
student, ASB Junior Lieutenant Governor;
and Madison Kellum – ESHS student, ASB
Treasurer and ESHS Instagram operator.
– Source: ESUSD
El Camino State of the College Event
El Camino College’s State of the College
event will welcome a variety of community,
business, education and government partners
to learn how ECC provides education and
training to meet the need of evolving industries
and prepare the workforce of tomorrow.
The event takes place on Friday, Nov. 15
from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the campus’
East Dining Room. Superintendent/President
Dr. Dena P. Maloney will deliver the
keynote address. There will also be a panel
discussion with El Camino alumni who
went on to become design and digital
media industry experts, as well as ECC’s
annual report.
– Source: El Camino College
Board of Supervisors Recognizes
Bio-Flex Pre-Apprenticeship Grads
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
recently recognized the first graduates of the
South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB)
Bio-Flex Pre-Apprenticeship (BFPA)
program at a special breakfast reception
and formal board presentation at the Hall
of Administration.
This event celebrated the success of the
39 Bio-Flex graduates who completed the
program. Initial pre-apprentice cohorts were
hosted by Bachem Americas, Inc., Oak Crest
Institute of Science, Pasadena Bio Collaborative
Incubator, Protomer Technologies and
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company.
Present to show support were stakeholders,
program partners, and parents/guardians.
BFPA partners include West Los Angeles
College, El Camino College, California
State University Dominguez Hills, Biocom,
Workforce Development Aging & Community
Services (WDACS), Los Angeles
County Economic Development Corporation
(LAEDC). Interested students and supervisors
from Compton Dominguez High School, and
North Torrance High School were also invited
to celebrate the new, innovative Bio-Flex
Youth Pre-Apprenticeship program.
Thanks to an initiative provided by Supervisor
Mark Ridley-Thomas, along with the
support of his colleagues on the Board of
Supervisors, the County awarded an initial
$200,000 grant to launch and develop the
program. Additionally, WDACS provided
another $150,000 for training costs. Since
its inception this year, Bio-Flex has 70-plus
individuals graduated or enrolled. The program
offers a strategy to complement LA County’s
action plan to support and expand the LA
Bioscience community of employers; and to
provide excellent training and job opportunities
for its residents through a new breed
of Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship
training programs.
– Source: Abridged from SBWIB press release
We are putting a shopping guide together for the holidays to be
published starting November 21. The week before Black Friday!
You can advertise your special offers or just send a holiday greeting
to the community for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Special Holiday Rates
1X ad
Full Page: $600
Half Page: $450
1/4 Page: $325
3/16 Page: $250
1/8 Page: $150
1/16 page: $100
Multiple ads
(Nov 21, 28 - Dec 5, 12 & 19)
Prices for multiple ads are for
each ad run. Add $100 for color.
Contact Linda at enrichlife@aol.com
or call 215-858-3098.
$550
$400
$250
$150
$125
$75
Image courtesy of www.vecteezy.com