Over the last few days, we've heard a lot about recent cyber attack against the United States government.

According to CNN, officials first got indications of the hacking months ago, but the clues were inconclusive.  While the initial indications did not prove the networks were being hacked, it did raise red flags for security experts.  The source of the attack appears to be malware hidden inside an update from IT management software SolarWinds. At least a half a dozen federal agencies are now known to have been targeted, including the Department of Homeland Security's cyber arm and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy and State.

In addition to the US government, the hack appears to have affected thousands of businesses worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies.

Were you affected by the hack?

According to computer and technology expert Kim Komando, you should be especially concerned if you frequently log-on to government websites like the IRS, Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration.

Some of the steps you should take include: changing your passwords for those sites, update your devices, and (if you are still using them) change the default passwords on your devices (like your router).  Actually, those are always good safety tips, even when the government  hasn't been hacked.

You may want to take a few minutes to check in on our older friends and relatives to make sure they understand what's going on and what they need to do.

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