The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) is warning lawyers to use different passwords on different sites, and to change those passwords frequently.

The NJSBA said using the same password on multiple websites puts people at risk for "credential surfing attacks," which cybersecurity experts regard as one of the easiest and most effective ways for hackers to access personal data and information. There have been 61 billion such attacks in the past year, according to Computer Business Review. The way it works is that hackers purchase stolen email addresses and passwords from the dark web. To be proactive, experts recommend changing passwords regularly and never using the same password on multiple sites.

Another emerging issue is the danger of using internet browser extensions, free tools that claim to help consumers, such as providing news updates or the weather, which actually harvest personal data like tax returns, credit card information, genetic profiles, or personal shopping information from computers. The NJSBA suggests avoiding the extensions for work computers and restricting them as much as possible on personal computers.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell, part of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, warned that cyber criminals are sending out fake "unsubscribe" emails that require a person to input personal data. They are also sending fake ads, called malvertising emails, which have emerged during the holiday shopping season. To stay safe, The NJSBA recommends people not click links that show up in email, but instead go to the company's website to conduct transactions.

Finally, many threats continue with USB drives. In some cases, hackers drop infected USB drives with innocent-looking logos in public places, hoping someone will pick one up and try to figure out who it belongs to by inserting it into a computer. Once it is plugged in, the USB drive infects the computer with hard-to-detect malware. It is good practice to only buy USB drives from trusted sources, and to instruct employees not to use an unknown drive, the NJSBA said.