Cybersecurity Tips From the FBI

Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and, increasingly, community banks are being targeted. But don’t take it from us. FBI Special Agent Kieran Ramsey says it’s imperative that smaller banks fortify their cybersecurity defenses. Here are some tips he recently shared with RMA:

Act quickly and build relationships. Immediate reporting of cyberattacks is crucial for any hope of recovering lost funds, and preexisting relationships with law enforcement or cybersecurity vendors can speed up the process. Ramsey urged community banks to proactively engage with their local FBI field offices, emphasizing the FBI’s openness to partnerships in combating cybercrimes.

Utilize ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) serves as a vital resource for reporting cyber fraud and staying informed about evolving threats. Ramsey encouraged familiarity with this FBI website, emphasizing its seamless reporting mechanism and real-time insights into the latest scams and attacks.

Cultivate a robust culture of cybersecurity. Fostering a culture of accountability and openness is essential. Employee training, including phishing exercises and multifactor authentication, creates a vigilant workforce. Ramsey stressed the importance of a robust incident response plan and maintaining employee cybersecurity awareness.

“There is really no shortage of threats out there,” Ramsey said. “To think that it’s not going to happen to your institution is difficult to really say with true confidence because hackers are constantly looking for a new attack vector to go into the backdoor.”

Read more in our coverage of Ramsey’s session at RMA’s Annual Risk Management Virtual Conference.