Watch Out for These Signs of Social Engineering Fraud

Phishing is probably one of the most common and well-known social engineering fraud schemes today. Social engineering fraud refers to scams that rely on psychological manipulation to convince the victims Google is reportedly blocking 18 million coronavirus scam emails every day and registered a record 2 million phishing websites in 2020. Even though phishing attacks are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, there is still the basic laws that apply at the heart of an attack strategy.

IMITATE, MOTIVATE AND ACT

A phishing message will always strive to look like it originates from a trusted organization or individual. Most cyber criminals try hard to make their messages look legitimate and convincing, using the same fonts and copying colors, logos and branding to fool people.

Scammers tailor messages for one single reason — to motivate people to take action such as a click, reply, download, or tweet. Attackers exploit human instincts by crafting phishing messages that get victims upset, curious, infuriated, or anxious, in the hopes of provoking a response.

Act is the final step or the invisible hook that is lurking in a phishing attack. This could be a form that a user can fill out, a click on a social media post or instant message, or simply a visit to a site that could cause a drive-by download. After a successful click or download, the victim might be stuck with malware that can evade detection for a long time.

Even a carefully crafted phishing attack displays revealing signs that the email is neither legitimate nor trustworthy. Listed below are six common signs to watch for.

SUSPICIOUS SENDERS ADDRESS

One of the trademarks of phishing is that hackers create fake sender addresses that appear authentic. Many hackers use generic email domains like gmail.com or yahoo.com which makes them relatively easy to spot. Some might even use email spoofing to create fake email addresses where only the sender’s name is visible while the email address itself is hidden. As you might expect, many recipients of these emails don’t go above and beyond to check a spoofed sender’s address, especially on mobile devices.

SUBJECT LINES THAT RAISE ALARM

Creative attackers often use scare tactics in hopes that readers will click on malicious links, download attachments, or fill out forms due to worry, urgency, or confusion. The common message in these types of emails is that action is immediately required, payment is urgently needed, or sign-ins must happen now. For example: “New sign-on to your account,” “Suspicious activity detected,” “Password Expired,” and “Account closure” are all common subject lines one may find in a phishing attempt.

USE OF URL SHORTENERS

URL shortening is a common technique used by social media giants like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook that reduces the size and complexity of longer website addresses (URLs) by replacing longer links with a shorter link. Hackers often disguise rogue URLs by using these shorteners which prevents easy detection of known malicious sites or destinations. For example, instead of seeing an obvious URL that indicates a website in Ukraine, Romania or France, a shortened URL link does not reveal where a link will take them or what they will find when they get there. Readers must immediately recognize this red flag and avoid clicking on a shortened URL.

SOCIAL ENGINEERING RED FLAGS

Because the underlying principles of manipulation remain constant, cyber criminals are known to apply similar techniques to other forms of communication. Sophisticated scammers are quick to target alternate channels like social media, telephone, or SMS. 

HOW INSURANCE CAN PROTECT YOU

Companies submitting social engineering claims have often faced coverage denials under their crime and cyber insurance policies. Crime policies can contain exclusionary wording that prohibits coverage for the voluntary parting of property or funds to a third party. Which means if an employee was deceived via an email or phone call though to be authentic and released funds, no coverage is provided.

Coverage under a Cyber Liability policy will only apply if the network was breached or compromised. This inherently means that fraudulent email or phone instructions do not constitute a computer system breach by definition. Therefore, it is crucial to discuss coverage details with your broker. Properly crafted cyber liability and crime policies should indemnify your organization for any financial loss stemming from social engineering attacks.

At Hawley & Associates we pride ourselves on our unique approach to insurance. Our broad access to specialty markets and strong relationships with insurance carriers and underwriters gives us an unparalleled advantage in aggressively negotiating policy terms & premiums, with your best interest in mind. Contact us today to learn more about our risk mitigation and insurance solutions.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Commercial Insurance Rates Forecast for 2021

Between natural catastrophes, COVID-19, and other market pressures, the property and casualty insurance industry was tested in extraordinary ways last year. According to a market outlook report in June 2020, the industry was just beginning to see the pandemic’s effects across the market place with rate increases, capacity reduction and tighter underwriting across all lines. And now with 2020 finally behind us, comes with an updated report highlighting the rate changes and trends expecting to impact insureds this year. Although the market has already significantly firmed this past year, continued uncertainty from potential COVID-19 related cases, higher than normal judgements, catastrophe losses, and additional factors have insurers rising rates, lowering capacity, limiting or transferring risk, and taking a harder look at each risk profile. Below are some of the market challenges to expect this upcoming year.

PROPERTY

The use of selective capacity by carriers continues to restrict their offerings, especially as it relates to natural catastrophes. Carriers are carefully managing exposures for property clients exposed to hurricanes, wildfires, tornado, and hail events. This strategy has pushed many buyers into shared and layered property policies. These policies tend to be more expensive than the single carrier solutions that were common in the soft market. Carriers are also reporting substantial loss results from communicable disease coverage afforded under 2019-2020 property policies. Event cancellation insurance carriers have also paid large losses related to shutdowns around the world, with many lawsuits still in court and impacting the carrier’s expenses. In an important change, many property policies issues after March 15, 2020, will include an absolute Communicable Disease/Pandemic exclusion.

CASUALTY

Rate increases, capacity restrictions, and tighter underwriting standards are commonplace in the casualty market. 2021 will usher in the fourth year of a hard insurance market for Commercial Automobile Liability lines, and the third year of a hard market for General/Products Liability and Umbrella/Excess Liability. The impact of “social inflation,” which includes nuclear verdicts, increased use of expert witnesses by plaintiffs’ bar, and higher settlements and jury awards are resulting in severe claims payouts that are multiples of what they were even five years ago, which is putting significant pressure on rate adequacy. These developments, coupled with the uncertainty that the pandemic will have lasting effects on the industry, will result in this hardening market continuing well into 2021.

EXECUTIVE AND PROFESSIONAL RISK

Premiums are on the rise for public company Directors and Officers Insurance, primarily due to the uncertainties around COVID-19 and increased litigation frequency and settlement payments. While premium increases in the private sector and the not-for-profit D&O market have not been as severe, increases in retention and excess premium are very likely. As instances of network intrusions and ransomware events increase and escalate, the cyber insurance market continues to show trends of hardening. This is primarily being driven by historically low premium rates, spiked levels of ransomware events, and diverse network intrusion attacks across multiple industries. Insurers are struggling to balance increased extortion demand amounts against premiums amounts collected.

UMBRELLA/EXCESS LIABILITY

Umbrella & Excess Liability continues to be the most challenging casualty line to place, and it seems that each year it becomes increasingly more difficult to place business into the market. Insurers continue to cite the negative impacts of “social inflation” as the main reason why Umbrella/Excess capacity and rates are being impacted more than any other liability coverage, with a few exceptions.

As we move into the new year, Hawley & Associates will remain close to industry and market developments so we can best guide and support our clients through current and future challenges. We thoroughly understand your operations and can clearly and effectively articulate your needs to insurers. We work by your side to navigate the insurance marketplace and secure the best coverage at a price your organization can afford. Contact us or request a quote from one of our specialized brokers on how we can best protect your mission.

Thank you to our Veterans!

 

Commercial Insurance Forecast: Cloudy with A Chance of Increased Premiums

When it rains it pours...

If things aren't bad enough, the insurance marketplace is following suit. We are seeing premium increases, many sizable, for more lines of insurance than we've experienced in recent memory. Along with the increases, we are also experiencing more restrictive coverage, minimum premium increases, lower limits and some carriers are even exiting certain markets altogether. But, there is reason for optimism!

Now more than ever it's important to have a 'beacon in the storm' advocating for you at your next renewal.

Hawley & Associates specializes in providing innovative insurance solutions exclusively for nonprofit, social service and human service organizations. It's all we do and we can help you navigate through your next renewal.

Our unique specialization gives us an advantage in accessing hard-to-find specialty markets and aggressively negotiating for the lower premiums and coverage you need to fulfill your important mission.

We can DO when others can't!

Cost Saving Quotes

We intimately understand the nuances of insurance in this vital sector, as well as the balance between your bottom line and the coverage you needed to protect the life-changing work that you do.

Come on in out of the rain, and contact us today!

Check out Hawley & Associates' 2nd Quarter Newsletter!

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Why Covid-19 Should Have You Rethinking Cyber Liability Insurance

In this day and age, organizations rely on computers, networks, and electronic data to complete essential tasks. With most companies implementing work-from-home guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic, office staff are dependent on technology like never before. For organizations unfamiliar to the challenges of having staff work-from-home, there are dangerous cyber risks at play, such as hacking and data breaches, which can lead to costly damages for organizations trying to navigate these new waters.

Cybercrime is the fastest growing crime in the United States, and it’s increasing in complexity and cost. In 2019, cybercrime costs businesses over $2 trillion, and by 2021, it is estimated to cost the world $6 trillion annually. Because of this, the team at Hawley and Associates work diligently to ensure our clients are fully protected against any unforeseen circumstances.

It’s clear that cybercriminals have taken advantage of the opportunities presented by the pandemic and businesses are more likely to become victims as attacks quickly advance.  Social engineering is a tool of deception currently being used that relies on manipulating human emotions to bypass our critical thinking – a game that cybercriminals play all too well. They exploit uncertain or emotional situations to manipulate people into taking actions they would typically refrain from.

Attackers have been reveling in the chaos the pandemic has created by taking advantage of employees working from home, without the technical protections that their organization’s IT network usually provides. Additionally, many employees are working from their personal computers, often shared with family members, all while processing sensitive and potentially personally identifiable information (PII) without the extra security of managed endpoint protection.  Many standard insurance policies are not intended to act in such dispersed environments, leaving policy holders less protected against wire transfer fraud and other attacks.

WHY CYBER INSURANCE IS IMPORTANT
The loss, compromise or theft of electronic data can have a detrimental impact on a business, including the loss of customers and revenue. Businesses may also be liable for damages stemming from the theft of third-party data. Cyber liability coverage is crucial to protect businesses against the risk of cyber events, including those related to breach of data, lost devices, and terrorism.
Cyber insurance policies are sold by many of the same carriers that provide business insurance, such as E&O insurance, business liability insurance and commercial property insurance. Most policies also include first-party and third-party coverage. First-party coverage applies to the losses that directly impact a company, while third-party coverage applies to losses suffered by others from a cyber event or incident, depending on their business relationship with that company.

Having a cyber insurance policy in place helps cover the financial losses that result from cyber-attacks. Furthermore, cyber-risk coverage helps with the costs associated with remediation, including payment for legal assistance, investigators, crisis communicators, and customer credits or refunds.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE PROTECTED

Because cyber liability insurance is relatively new and rapidly evolving, policies will vary widely from one provider to the next. We here at Hawley and Associates take pride in the strong relationships we’ve maintained with our insurance carriers and are steadfast in our mission to provide the right policy you need to guarantee you and your organization are well protected.  We carefully review policy details to ensure it contains the necessary protections and provisions needed for each specific type of business. In addition, we evaluate whether policies provide protection against known and emerging cyber incidents and threat profiles.


The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on every industry in the world, which has opened unimaginable doors for cyber-criminals. Because of this, we have seen an uptick in cyber liability claims come across our desks from organizations of all sizes. This assures one common fear we all have – no one is safe from these attacks. Therefore, if your organization has inadequate cyber liability insurance coverage, or maybe you have none at all, please contact us for a free quote and to answer any questions you might have on how to better protect your mission.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Expanding into Nevada

Some more good news to reach the headlines! Late last month, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption announced they were expanding the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program to Nevada. Through this program, the Foundation supplies funding to adoption agencies to hire recruiters who implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model. According to the Foundation, the model of the program has been proven to be up to three times more effective at serving children who have been in foster care the longest, including teenagers, sibling groups and children with special needs.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has worked tirelessly for almost 30 years to find permanent homes for more than 155,000 children in North America’s foster care systems. In 2017, the Foundation introduced a business plan to full scale the program across all 50 states and Washington D.C. As the plan comes to an end of phase one, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program is now under statewide expansion in Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and now, Nevada. To date, this program has helped find adoptive homes for more than 9,000 children across the United States, including 146 youth in Nevada, the Dave Thomas Foundation stated.

Here’s a closer look at what has already been accomplished in Nevada:

• 406 children served
• 99 children currently on caseloads
• 238 children with families waiting for court finalization
• 146 permanent placements.

At Hawley and Associates, we believe every child is entitled to a loving family they can celebrate their successes and feel a sense of belonging. We are delighted to witness such massive action being taken by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. An evidence-based program, such as Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, is precisely the type of work needed to permanently place all children in foster care into safe, loving homes. We are looking forward to watching this incredible program expand across North America.

Sesame Street Teams Up with CNN To Host Town Hall Meeting Discussing Racism

Considering the race relation challenges the nation and world has been witnessing, some parents and child advocates might find it challenging to find the words when explaining these situations to young children. Back in April, Sesame Street partnered with CNN to spell out the ABC’s of Coronavirus in a televised town hall for parents and kids. Now, they are back to help families and caregivers educate their children about racism. This Saturday, June 6 at 10a.m. ET, CNN and Sesame Street will be hosting a 60-minute special Coming Together: Standing Up To Racism.

The PBS Muppets will be welcoming diversity and explaining how to be empathetic and understanding. According to CNN, the show intends to talk to kids about the recent nationwide protests.  Big Bird will be co-hosting with CNN commentator Van Jones and reporter Erica Hill. Original Sesame Street cast members will be joining as well – including Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Rosita. They will be helping to answer questions submitted by families. 

Sesame Street has been with us for over 50 years helping to explain the ins and outs of the world to children. They have never shied away from addressing the dark or scary topics of society with kids. A new Muppet was introduced in 2011 who struggled with hunger. Another Muppet moved onto the street who had autism, and in 2009, they even debuted a cute character who was HIV-Positive. And just last year, a new character named Karlie explained how he lived in a foster home.

Viewers can tune-in Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. ET on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. It will also stream live on CNN.com’s homepage and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps, without requiring a cable login.

Hawley and Associates was founded on the core belief of empowerment, equality and a brighter future for our clients and community. In this, we stand with our neighbors of color against systemic racism, injustice, hatred, and police brutality. Treating all people with dignity and respect is a cornerstone of our mission, and in this very difficult time we commit to acting in alignment with our values. Based on this, we continue to stand behind you and your mission to help make a difference in the communities we all serve and support.

Senate Lawmakers Seek $5 Billion to Track Down Child Predators Without Compromising Encryption

With the Senate back in session last week, Democratic lawmakers revealed new legislation aimed at drastically expanding the federal government’s resources dedicated to the targeting and prosecution of child predators, developing new technologies to identify child sexual abuse material online, and funding leading community organizations that work to prevent children from becoming victims.

In a nutshell, the Invest in Child Safety Act would create a new Office to Enforce and Protect Against Child Sexual Exploitation, which would manage a Child Sexual Exploitation Treatment, Support and Prevention Fund. The fund would contain $5 billion to be apportioned between 2021 and 2030 to a variety of agencies for programs or activities directed at addressing child sexual exploitation. The Act also makes a few minor changes to the law, including increasing the time frame that authorities must act on reports about child abuse materials received from online platforms, before the platforms are required to delete those materials.

The bills chief author, Sen. Ron Wyden, credited reporting by the New York Times, with exposing what he called a “failure” by Congress and the White House “to respond to disgusting crimes against children that are shared online.” Chilling investigations by Times reporters Michael Keller and Gabriel Dance last year unveiled the failure of Washington and America’s tech companies to aggressively cut off the circulation of child sexual abuse material online, despite having the technical means to do so.

The bill, which also allots for funding to school-based mental health services, amends the existing law behind the CyberTipline, the nation’s central reporting system for child abuse content, managed by the nonprofit National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), doubling the allotted time companies can preserve digital evidence from 90 days to 180 days. The bill also requires entities reporting to the CyberTipline to preserve illicit material using only methods established by information security experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The Invest in Child Safety Act would additionally lead to the hiring of “not less than 100” new FBI agents and investigators specifically assigned to developing cases against online predators. And it would double funding for various related programs, including the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, and the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC), which trains criminal justice professionals in the prosecution and prevention of child victimized cases.

Before it was introduced to the senate, the bill received endorsements from the National Children’s Alliance, the Child Welfare League of America, and the Family Online Safety Institute, as well as David Kaye, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Expression.

“Law enforcement agencies at all levels in the United States are significantly under-resourced when it comes to investigating and prosecuting child sexual abuse material online, and only able to pursue a fraction of the cases referred to them,” the Open Technology Institute said in its endorsement. “The Invest in Child Safety Act would directly address this problem, providing meaningful resources that would equip law enforcement and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to more effectively combat this crisis and hold predators accountable.”

Hawley & Associates applauds this remedial legislative action, Congress, organizations, and individuals whose hard work contributes to making the world a safer place for children.

May is National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month and we want to take time to acknowledge the foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections.

With over 400,000 children in the foster care system at any given time, and a new child placed into care every 2 minutes, the need for support services, essential items, and foster parents is high. National Foster Care Month shines a light on these children and points us all in the direction of solutions.

We would like to share some inspiring real-life stories and raise awareness of the need for strong, collaborative communities that help keep families together.

https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/reallifestories/narratives/

Is Compliance Really the Goal of Childhood Behavior?

Compliance is a word that is used regularly in the world of behavior. It’s written about in Individualized Education Programs, it’s used as a goal when students have behavioral episodes, and data is collected on how often it does or does not occur. Even in personal interactions with kids, such as with our own children at home, we often place a more significant weight on compliance than we do decision-making.

“Listen and obey.”

“Do as I say.”

“Because I said so.”

“Don’t argue with me.”

Think about the kind of message that is sending kids. Are we conveying a message that obeying is more important than making decisions or thinking critically? When compliance is the primary focus, we’re instilling in kids’ minds that the lesson to be learned is how to follow instructions. And while that is a crucial life skill all must learn; it must also be taught alongside the evaluative process. Some of the most influential people in history have only made an impact because they refused to blindly follow the demands of authority figures in unjust moments. Without their critical thinking, which led to their active disobedience, we never would have had the social progress brought about by Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Malala Yousafzai or Nelson Mandela.

Focusing solely on pure obedience, or working entirely toward compliance, steals a child’s ability to develop critical thinking skills. Those critical thinking skills are what kids use to keep themselves safe. If that instinctual willingness to disobey is completely suppressed, kids are less likely to report someone who is abusing them, less able to interpret their own fight-or-flight instincts in emergency situations and less willing to create significant social changes in their communities.

So how do we go about instilling these crucial traits while also avoiding argumentative and entitled behavior?

It starts by giving kids options. Instead of telling kids what they can and cannot do, try laying out several options out in front of them and asking what would happen if they chose each option. Help them in making the connection between actions and consequences and they in turn will become more confident in making the right decisions. Kids are more willing to make decisions that we give them credit for.

Oftentimes, when kids disobey or make “bad” choices, it’s not because they want to be harmful or disruptive. It’s because they have not connected their actions to the correct negative consequences, yet. It’s the job of parents, teachers, coaches and advocates to help kids in making those connections, giving them opportunities to learn by trial and error, and helping them process scenarios they might not yet be mature enough to process on their own.

Sex Abuse Claim Laws Have Changed in 15 States

According to The Insurance Journal, dated December 4th, 2019, fifteen states have revised their laws in the past two years extending or suspending statute of limitations to allow child sex abuse claims stretching back decades, unleashing potentially thousands of new lawsuits against the U.S. Roman Catholic Church.

Click here for the full story.

Honoring All Who Served

Veteran's Day was November 11th, so I am a little late in writing this post.  But, it is never too late to thank and honor all the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice.

Agent vs. Broker - What Is The Difference?

The terms Agent and Broker are sometimes used in the same context, but in reality, they are quite different.  Both do act as a liaison between the insured and the insurance company, but the main difference is who they represent.

AGENT:

An insurance agent works for the insurance company.  They can represent one or more insurance companies and acts as an extension of those companies. They are authorized to bind or initiate coverage on behalf of the insured.

There are two types agents: Captive and Independent. A Captive agent sells insurance for one specific insurance company.  An Independent agent sells insurance for multiple insurance companies.  In essence, they do the ‘shopping’ for you.

      

BROKER:   

An insurance broker works for their clients.  They are an advocate and work in the best interest of their client, not the insurance company.

There are typically two types of brokers: Generalists and Specialists.  Generalists do not restrict themselves to certain industries or lines of business and sometimes consider themselves as a “one stop shop”.  They can insure gas stations, restaurants and even nonprofits.  With their book of business being so broad, it may be difficult for them to have the necessary knowledge and expertise into a particular industry or business, especially ones that are complex or have high risk factors.

A specialty broker does just that; they specialize or have a niche in a particular line of business or industry. They have access to a variety of markets, comparing multiple programs side by side. They generally have stronger relationships with underwriters and have a unique ability to negotiate for better terms and premiums. They will also have a better understanding of the exposures and various risks associated with a particular industry or business and can better recommend the specialized insurance solutions needed.

Happy Fall Y'all - Hawley & Associates 3rd. Quarter Newsletter

Welcome to Fall!  

Please enjoy Hawley & Associates' 3rd Quarter Newsletter.  If you would like to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, please email us at info@hawleyandassociates.com.

To Those Affected By Hurricane Dorian

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those in the path hurricane Dorian and the subsequent tropical storm.  Our sincere wish is for everyone's well-being and safety.

We talked to a client who was in an evacuation zone.  They were in surprisingly good spirits and had already moved their residential clients to a safe place.  We do stand in awe of the resilience of our clients who live and work in these affected areas and their continued commitment to serve and care for others.

If your agency is impacted by the storm, please be assured we are here for you every step of the way. We are just a phone call or email away.  If you need assistance after-hours, please don't hesitate to call our emergency claims/service line at (425) 577-4957.

On behalf of everyone at Hawley & Associates, we wish everyone strength and safety during this difficult time.
 

Quote For The Day!

Wayne Hawley Giving Grant - Don't Miss Out!

The Wayne Hawley Giving Grant is exclusive to H&A clients that serve the social service and nonprofit community.

The grant is named in loving memory of Phil Hawley's father, Wayne Hawley, who was instrumental in the formation of Hawley & Associates, and a guiding force in making our agency the strong, dedicated and caring company it is today.

The grant is comprised of two individual grants in the amount of $5,000.00 each.

Click here for more information!

Deadline for applications is September 30, 2019!

Food Safety Tips for An Amazing Summer!

Food-borne illnesses are most common in summer. With higher temps and sometimes ‘not so ideal’ conditions, such as camping or a maybe a long road trip, bacteria growth reigns supreme.

Here are some great tips to keep your summer plans on track and most importantly safe!

1. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and vegetables to reduce the chance of cross-contamination. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry can contaminate even cooked food.

2. Keep perishable food cold until ready to use. 

3. Never use tongs or utensils that have touched raw meat or poultry to serve cooked food.

4. Camping – Keeps foods cold!  A block of ice last longer than ice cubes.  Empty milk cartons filled with water and then frozen are a great alternative to ice cubes or purchasing block ice in the store.  Also, fuller coolers tend to stay cooler longer.

5. Put cold drinks in a separate cooler.  This will help minimize the number of times the cooler is opened, thus keeping the food cooler colder longer.

6. Don’t reuse marinades.  This will prevent raw meat juices getting onto your cooked food. 

7. Cook food thoroughly.  Using a thermometer gives you the best results in determining whether your meat is under or overcooked.

8. Throw out leftovers.  Perishable items left out for two or more hours should not be consumed.

9. Thaw and marinade food in the refrigerator.

10. Keep things clean, including your hands!