Stay Cyber Smart – Tips to Keep us Safe

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Published 15 Oct 2025 in Colleagues

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Stay cyber smart and check out our essential tips to stay protected.

As we head into one of our busiest times of the year, it’s a good moment to remind ourselves how important it is to stay alert to cyber security threats. Hackers know that when we’re juggling lots of things at once, we might be more likely to click quickly or skip double-checking – and they often take advantage of that.

Here are some of the most common tricks we’re seeing – and how you can protect yourself and the Society:

🚨 Common Threats

1. Social engineering – This is when someone tries to trick you into sharing sensitive information, giving access to our systems or making a financial transaction.

They might:

Pretend to be a colleague, supplier or even IT support.
Use urgent or emotional messages to get you to act fast.
Reach out via email, text, phone call, Teams or WhatsApp.
Try to gain entry to your site in order to swap out payment devices for compromised ones or access the network.

2. Malware or ransomware – This usually comes through a suspicious link or attachment that can install harmful software, steal data, or lock systems.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself

Here are a few easy but powerful habits to keep in mind:

Pause and think before responding to any unexpected or urgent request.
Verify who’s asking. If something feels off, contact the person directly using their known details (not the ones in the message).
Never share passwords, codes, or sensitive data - even if someone claims to be from IT or management. (IT will never ask for your password!)
Be cautious with links and attachments. If you’re not sure, don’t click - ask IT first.
Report anything suspicious straight away to IT or your line manager. It’s always better to check than to risk a breach.

💡 Quick Tips to Stay Cyber Smart

Think briefly before clicking any link or opening an attachment.
Keep your devices locked when stepping away.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication where possible.
Stay curious - if something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t!

Remember: Cyber security is everyone’s responsibility. Your vigilance helps keep our business safe.