Children’s & YA Fiction

Library Cards Prices

SWKLS has purchased a new card printer to replace the previous one that was broken. We have recalculated the price to print a library card and discovered that it is much cheaper. The new price is $0.44/card. So if you need library cards printed or if you are looking forward to SRP punch cards, you won’t have to pay as much.

Time to Update iPads to iOS 18.2.1

New iOS offers several feature and bug fixes. Please take time to turn on your iPad and get those batteries changed and updated.

Meet Bitwarden

I just wanted to take a moment this week to write about password managers. With a password manager you don’t have to remember a million passwords, you only have to remember one. There are pros and cons to each different password manager. We are currently looking at a password manager called Bitwarden that offers an easier to use user interface and portability. Bitwarden also lets you securely share specific passwords with members of your staff for access to data and accounts to perform their job functions.

If you would like to learn more about Bitwarden please let me know.

If you have any other questions, please give me a call at the SWKLS office.

This Week in Cybersecurity: Credit Card Skimmers

If you have seen the news in the past few years, then you have probably heard of credit card skimmers being used. This is well camouflaged magnetic card reader the reads and stores the data on the magnetic strips on cards. This could be credit cards or security cards. These devices are installed by a thief and are camouflaged well enough that you would not notice they were there. Some skimmers fit over the existing card device. In the picture below you can see that the card readers look identical with subtle variances in the measurements in size to fit over the real card reader.

In most cases in this fast-paced world you will not know that you have fallen victim to this type of scam until you see changes on your bank statement.

There are other types of skimmers such as:
Overlay skimmers: These fit seamlessly over the existing card slot.
Insert skimmers: These are hidden inside the card reader’s slot.
Insert shimmer: These fit into the slot where EMV chip cards are inserted.
Wiretap skimmers: These intercept data transmission within the device.
Bluetooth skimmers: These enable wireless data retrieval.
Miniaturized skimmers: These may be concealed within or attached discreetly to the reader.

According to staysafeonline.com, there are some ways you can protect yourself. Here is a short list of them.

• Avoid sketchy pay terminals: While criminals targeting the point-of-sale terminals of large chains is not unheard of, always try to use card readers in well-let, high-traffic areas.   
• Inspect card readers: Look for signs of tampering or suspicious attachments, such as loose or jiggly parts, or unusual protrusions. 
• Cover the keypad: When entering your PIN, cover the keypad to prevent hidden cameras from capturing your information. 
• Use chip-enabled cards: Whenever possible, use chip-enabled cards for transactions, as they offer greater security, even though shimming is a risk.  
• Opt for contactless payments: When you tap your card to pay, you reduce the risk of skimming and shimming altogether. 
• Monitor account activity: Regularly check your account activity and report any unauthorized transactions immediately. 
• Use digital wallets: Mobile payment apps offer added security features like tokenization, but only use trusted services, like the one offered by your smartphone (such as Apple Wallet or Google Pay).  
• Use credit cards over debit cards: If the worst-case scenario happens and you are a victim of card skimming, it is generally easier to dispute fraudulent charges with a credit card company than get money returned to your checking account if your debit card is compromised.

If you think you have been a victim of a skimmer, here is a list of actions you can do to stop it.

• Immediately contact your bank or credit card provider. Report unauthorized transactions and request a freeze or cancellation of the affected card. They can guide you through disputing fraudulent charges and issuing a replacement card.  
• Monitor your account activity for further suspicious transactions. 
• Freeze your credit to help prevent identity theft. You can quickly unfreeze it if you need to apply for credit or a loan.  
• Ensure that you’re using unique, strong passwords for all accounts. Enable multi-factor authentication for all financial accounts (and, ideally, every account that allows it).  

Ideally, your best bet is to stay vigilant. If you think you have located a skimmer, contact local business management or call your local authorities.

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/protect-your-credit-cards-from-skimmers-and-shimmers