Are You Ready for the Unexpected? Contingency Planning & One Time Secrets

CEO Jason Volmut shares advice on planning ahead and protecting yourself from cyber attack by using tools like One Time Secret to improve your online security.

Max has always tried to stay on top of online security. He uses a password manager, and even has multi-factor authentication set up for his online accounts.

But one day his mom had a financial emergency while Max was busy helping clients, so he made a small exception. Max knew he didn’t have time to talk through the situation with her on the phone, or to handle the situation directly. The client meetings were too important, and he knew his mom depended on the money his work brought in. So during a short break between meetings, he emailed his credit card info to her. After all, his email was secure, and he figured it was okay, “just this one time.”

When thousands of dollars of charges showed up in his account a few weeks later, Max realized he had made a huge mistake.

Keep Your Data Secure by Planning for Contingencies

Max didn’t realize that his mom’s email account had already been compromised by a hacker. So when Max sent his credit card info to his mom, he also sent it to the hacker, who took the chance to go on a shopping spree.

Max’s biggest mistake was inadequate contingency planning; he hadn’t considered that he might need a way to share confidential information with his mom. So when he was under stress, he used an insecure shortcut.

When you create your personal digital security plan, it’s important to think ahead and prepare for contingencies, including situations which require you to transmit sensitive information. That way, you won’t be tempted to cut corners and do something unsafe when an emergency happens.

For ongoing conversations of a confidential nature, you can use a secure messaging app. But don’t use a messaging app to transmit passwords or bank accounts–stick to a “one time secret” type solution to provide that type of confidential information with the highest level of security.

Secure Data with One Time Messages

If you need to securely send “untraceable” information to a single recipient, you can use One Time Secret. One Time Secret is an open source project, which was built for the purpose of sending messages that self-destruct after a single viewing–just like in Mission Impossible. The basic interface is simple: type in your private text, set your privacy options, and create a one-time secret link. If you sign up for a free account, you also have the option to send your secret by email.

Emergencies are a part of life, but planning ahead can make all the difference, and familiarizing yourself with One Time Secret is a great way to prepare for situations where you need to share confidential information with another individual. At the level of organizations, on the other hand, you should use the features built into your organization’s Password Manager, which includes comparable features for sharing confidential data.

Whether you are at home or at work, you are more vulnerable to cybercrime when you don’t follow best practices. If your organization needs help creating and implementing a comprehensive security plan, contact us to schedule a cybersecurity assessment.