The UECU Podcast Utilities Employees Credit Union

Cybersecurity is a partnership.UECU plays an active role in keeping our members' information and accounts safe from troublemakers. Our dedicated staff works with great people from Alpine Cyber Solutions to make sure we head off trouble. But we can't do it alone.
Account owners have an important role to play, because safe and secure technology is just one piece of the cybersecurity puzzle. UECU consistently strives to improve and increase account security through ongoing testing, training and new technology. Unfortunately, all it takes is a shared password or personal information, outdated account owner contact information, or responding to a troublemaker's urgent and anxiety-inducing email, call or text message to break through the firewall; namely, the human one. 
Today, we talk with Alpine Cyber Solutions President and Chief Technology Officer Steven Pressman and Alpine's Technical Business Analyst David Bock to understand the roles that both organizations and individuals play in keeping their information and their accounts safe. For both sides of that equation, the human firewall is the most important variable.
Learn how to become a great human firewall at work and at home. Our digital footprint is only getting bigger. Secure yours today.
Topics & Timing(00:28) Today's topic is cybersecurity: how to keep your information and your accounts safe and secure
(01:06) Why do security breaches happen? 1) It's easy money, and 2) humans make mistakes.
(01:24) UECU works hard to protect our members' accounts and information, but individuals have an important role to play as well. It's a partnership.
(01:44) Cybersecurity facts to consider: the average cost of a data breach so far in 2023 is $4.45M; The financial industry has the second highest average cost of $5.9M; and the two most used methods to secure that information is phishing and stolen credentials.
(02:40) Meet our guests from Alpine Cyber Solutions: Technical Business Analyst David Bock, and President/Chief Technology Officer Steven Pressman. Learn how they made their way to their current career and what they like to do for fun.
(13:20) Topic discussion about Cybersecurity begins with an overview of how UECU, with help from Alpine, keeps on top of Cybersecurity.
(14:11) What is Vulnerability Management? It's not the plot to a Rom-Com!
(15:07) QUOTE "Literally everything that we're going to talk about what we do with the Credit Union, applies to everyone's personal life in some way, shape or form. There's nothing different that a company needs to do to protect data that a person doesn't need to do to protect their data." - Steve
(15:45) Vulnerabilities are something that are known (or unknown) to be wrong on a device, such as a flaw in a piece of software. We have to search for those that are known, and indicators of the unknown. In both cases, we then overcome them. Today, these scans are continuous.
(23:15) Penetration Testing is when we rely on trusted individuals/services to try to access our systems/information by either physically entering the building in an unofficial capacity, creating a relationship with an employee to gain needed information, or looking for known system vulnerabilities that haven't been patched yet to "get in."
(26:50) Many people think a hacker gets in by penetrating the system firewall. It very rarely works if the firewall is being kept up-to-date. It more often happens by getting through the "Squishy Parts" (the humans) as Steve refers to them.
(27:25) QUOTE "There's a term we like to use called the Human Firewall, where we train people to understand that they have a very active role in cybersecurity." - Dave
(27:36) Phishing and Social Engineering are attacks aimed at people (employees and individuals). People try to "fish" for information through various contact methods, perhaps providing a link that downloads...

People Helping People is more than just a credit union industry foundational philosophy. It is part of UECU's employee experience all year long. While we support local organizations with our personal and corporate gifts, we also get to know the organizations we support and the people they serve by "getting out there."

It is one thing (and an important one!) to give financially to help further the work of important services and organizations in our community. It just means so much more when we join in the effort personally.

However, UECU's community goes far beyond just our geographical hometown. We are equally connected to the utility and energy industry nationwide. It is simply part of UECU's DNA and we look forward to opportunities to travel and participate in events where they gather and celebrate the work they do. We enjoy celebrating with them!

Today we talk with Dawn Pavlick and Kaitlin Keck, two UECU staff members who help lead our charge for giving and volunteering in our community and beyond. Press "play" and you'll see just how much "People Helping People" really means to us.

Work/Life balance is tough for most of us. But when you add last minute work “opportunities” that can be several states away from home for weeks at a time, that’s a whole ‘nother level, as they say. Today we talk with a member and friend who spends his days as an electric lineman. Herb Lovett loves his job, but he acknowledges that his mindset is always “family first” …even as he enjoys the challenge and tomorrow-is-never-the-same-as-yesterday job that ranks as the third most dangerous in the US. Turning on the lights for a neighborhood or a town is a thrill and so are the new work “toys” that make their work safer, but getting home in the same condition he started the day is paramount.

Line workers are highly trained through apprenticeship programs (often at little or no cost) and they earn a good living (if you enjoy heights, working outdoors in all kinds of weather, and take safety seriously). Yet many people don’t know much about this fulfilling career, especially as many experienced workers are retiring at a fast pace. Herb is happy to change that!

Helping and Supporting Line Workers and Their Families: This month our discussion takes a turn to get to know some of the people UECU serves and supports. As a Credit Union that has served utility workers since 1934, we've gotten to know first-hand how important their work is, and the many different ways they keep their communities safe, connected and comfortable. Today, we'll spend some time getting to know the challenges that families face when a spouse works the third most dangerous job in the US, and how the National Sisterhood United for Journeymen Linemen (NSUJL) helps when it is needed most.

This month we continue the discussion about kids and money on the topic that often feels like a looming gray cloud from birth: paying for college. Get to know two of our student loan experts from Credit Union Student Choice: David Rodriguez and Tracie McGetrick. Our host Janene offers the perspective of a parent who crossed the "paying for college" finish line just a few years ago.

Let some rays of sun penetrate that gray cloud, even if your storm hits this year! Whether you have saved a lot or a little, you can help your student make post-high-school education possible, and you don't have to do it all alone.

Kids & Money are forever intertwined. From infancy to school days, through graduation and into young adult independence, they learn the most about money from us, the parents.
We may never say a word, but they are learning. Here we discuss some age-appropriate ways to make talking (and learning) about money part of everyday life, and preparing them for bigger money decisions in their future.