It’s difficult to read the news for a few days without learning about a significant data breach that could have given hackers access to the personal information of millions of customers. Here are some pointers to make sure that your private data stays out of the wrong hands.
Make secure passwords.
When coming up with a password, avoid using terms or numbers that are simple for a hacker to decipher, such as your birthday. Select and alternate between lower- and uppercase letter, number, and symbol combinations on a regular basis. Additionally, it’s preferable to generate a unique password rather than use the same one for all of your accounts; a password manager application can assist you in keeping track.
Don’t post too much on social media.
Everybody has at least one buddy who shares far too many personal facts about themselves online. This may be inconvenient, but it also poses a risk to your personal data. When sharing your location, hometown, birthday, or other personal information, use caution and check your privacy settings to ensure that you are aware of who is viewing your postings.
Use cautious when using free WIFI.
It never hurt to purchase a bit online, right? Because most free public Wi-Fi networks don’t have many security safeguards, other users could readily access your activity. Taking out your credit card should wait until you’re at home or on a safe, password-protected network.
Be cautious with attachments and links.
Because cybercriminals are cunning, they frequently craft their phishing scams to appear as official correspondence from banks, utility companies, or other business entities. Spelling mistakes or an email address that differs from the sender’s usual one are two indicators that an email is spam.
Verify whether the website is secure.
Look at the top of your browser before inputting personal information into a website. A site is considered secure if it has a lock icon and the URL starts with “https.” A website privacy policy, contact details, or a “verified secure” seal are a few more ways to find out if the website is reliable.
Think about supplementary security
Install a firewall, anti-virus software, and anti-spyware software. You might want to think about getting cyber insurance for extra security, as it can protect you and your family in the event of a cyberattack.
