People use the internet every day for various activities. They can do everything from gaming to searches to paying their bills online. While this is simple and easy they are putting their personal information online and a hacker may be able to intercept this information and use it for their purposes. A person needs to learn how to protect their information online. Information protection is something that needs to be taken very seriously.
Secure Social Media
Many people share information about themselves on social media including their birthdays and address. There are security settings to help secure the information. A person can use personally identifiable information so that only people they trust can see their post. A person should not give this information to people they do not know or trust. It is also not a good idea to post their street address as criminals can use this for devious purposes. A person should never post they are going away on vacation or will be out of town. They are announcing to the world that their home will be empty.
Safe Sites
When using the internet especially when making purchases online or paying bills to make sure the URL contains HTTPS and not just HTTP. The HTTP status that the network is not secure making it easier for people to steal information. When a person is done they should make sure they log out of their accounts. They should not make purchases at public Wifi connection such as those in a restaurant. All purchases should be made at home. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0272-how-keep-your-personal-information-secure
Passwords
You should keep your passwords private. They should not contain easy to guess information such as birthdays, phone numbers, and the names of loved ones. The password should be something that is random and something that is not easy to guess. The password should not be used on several sites. A new password should be generated for each account that a person has. This will limit the information that can be accessed if the password is somehow compromised.
Emails
A person should do open files, click links, or download anything from a sender they do not know. This can be a phishing email. Once the files are opened a computer virus or spyware can capture any information that is entered. Never send personal information over email.
Encryption
There are many programs out there that are designed to keep data secure. Encryption programs will scramble information when it is sent over the internet. This software will put a lock icon at the top of the browser. A person should also look for the lock before they use the computer especially if they are sending their financial information.
Antivirus Programs
Along with encryption information, a person should have an anti-virus and anti-spyware program installed on their computer. They should also have their firewall set to a high-security setting. This will help protect the computer and keep their information safe
Avoid Auto Login
While it may be easy for a person to have a site remember their user name and password especially if they use it often this is not a good idea. You should log in and out each time. This will help keep their personal information safe and keep others from accessing it.
These are some ways that a person can protect their information online. While using the internet makes it easy to handle financial and personal transactions there is a risk for hackers gaining access to the information. These tips will help secure the information and help a person stay protected online.
