Cyber Security

With the rise in use of digital technologies and services, and the everchanging threat landscape, cyber security is more important than ever. We follow government guidance to protect the NHS network and patient data in Somerset and would like to share some important advice and guidance with our Somerset residents.

Advice for Staying Safe Online

1. Be suspicious of any emails, calls or texts asking you to provide personal or financial information.
   • Question whether they would legitimately be asking for this kind of information over the phone or via email or text message.
2. Do not click on attachments or links in suspicious emails or text messages.
   • On a computer you can hover over a link (without clicking) to check where it will take you.
3. Use multifactor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your online accounts.
4. Use strong passwords which you never share.
   • Using formats such as 3 random words or a passphrase are recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
   • You could also add special characters, capital letters or numbers.
5. Ensure your devices are kept up to date with the latest security updates and protected with up-to-date anti-virus software.
6. Be mindful of your digital footprint and who can see what information has been posted about you online.
   • Turn on privacy settings on your social media accounts to restrict the information a malicious actor could learn about you on the internet.
7. Verify the authenticity of a suspicious request by another means i.e., contacting the organisation via a known email address or phone number, not the one you have been contacted on.
8. Look for the padlock or ‘s’ in ‘https’ to ensure you have a secure connection when accessing a website. Be mindful this does not always mean the site is genuine!
9. Change the default password for your home Wi-Fi router & ensure your home broadband router is up to date.
   • Default passwords can often be found online & router updates will address security fixes and patches.

If you notice a suspicious webpage posing as the NHS, or you receive a fake text message impersonating us make sure to report to the relevant channels.

• Forward any suspicious text messages to 7726; a free of charge service which will report the message to your mobile phone provider.
• Report suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
• Report suspicious or scam websites to the NCSC via their website at Report a suspicious website – NCSC.GOV.UK
• If you suspect you may have given out personal or financial information, make sure to inform your relevant banking organisation and report the crime to Action Fraud. Either via phone by calling 0300 123 2040 or 0300 123 2050 for textphone or via Action Fraud’s online reporting tool.
• Guidance on setting privacy settings for social media profiles –  Social Media: how to use it safely – NCSC.GOV.UK

If you would like to learn more about ways you can protect yourselves online, please visit the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cyber Aware webpage for further information Cyber Aware – NCSC.GOV.UK.