August 2021

If you have been the victim of identity theft, or if you believe your ERSGA account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at 404.350.6300. 

For Peach State Reserves (PSR) accounts, please contact GaBreeze at 1.877.342.7339. 

ERSGA takes the responsibility of protecting your personal data very seriously. We employ numerous security protocols to keep your personal data safe.

It is important that you also take steps to secure your data and personal information. As technology becomes more complex, keeping up with security advice can be confusing. While the details of how to stay secure may change over time, there are fundamental things you can do to protect yourself. 

We recommend the following:

Stay alert: Technology alone can’t always protect you. The easiest way for attackers to get personal data is trick you into giving it to them. For example, someone may call you pretending to be Microsoft tech support and claim that your computer is infected, or you may receive a phishing email asking you to click a link. This is how Ransomware or CEO Fraud attacks begin. The greatest defense is you. Be suspicious. By using common sense, you can spot and stop most cyberattacks.

Passwords: Protecting yourself by using a strong, unique password for each of your devices and online accounts. If you’re tired of complex, hard to remember passwords, try using a passphrase instead. A passphrase is a series of easy to remember words, such as “Where is my coffee?” The longer your passphrase is, the stronger. 

Using a unique password for each device and online account. This protects you in the event one password is compromised. Can’t remember all those strong, unique passwords? Use a password manager! A password manager is a specialized application that securely stores all of your passwords in an encrypted format. 

Enable two-step verification. Two-step verification is much stronger than a password alone. You still use your password, but a second step is added, such as a fingerprint or code sent to your phone. Enable this option on every account you can, including your password manager (if possible). Two-step verification is probably the single most important step you can take to protect yourself, and it’s much easier than you think!

Updates: Make sure any device connected to the internet and its apps are using the latest software versions. Hackers are constantly looking for new vulnerabilities in your software. The companies who create the software work hard to fix them by releasing updates. By ensuring you install these updates, you make it much harder for someone to hack you. 

You should enable automatic updating whenever possible on any technology connected to a network, including Internet-connected TVs, baby monitors, home routers, gaming consoles, or even your car. If your operating systems or devices are old and no longer supported with security updates, we recommend you replace them.

Backups: Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, you may be hacked. Often, your only option to ensure your computer or mobile device is free of malware is to fully wipe it and rebuild it from scratch. The attacker might even prevent you from accessing your personal files, photos, and other information stored on the hacked system. In this case, the only way to restore all of your personal information is from a backup. 

Make sure you are doing regular backups of any important information and that you can restore from them. Most operating systems and mobile devices support automatic backups. Also, we recommend you store your backups in either the Cloud or offline to protect them against cyber attackers.

Taking these important steps can help you stay safe online and protect your personal information.