
Your identifying information follows your digital footprint across the internet. There are risks that accompany such exposure in public forums. Consider how your personal data could be breached and stop a looming crisis before it happens. Careful actions taken today can secure your digital future. Think about the following steps as you protect your personal data online.
1. Create Unique Passwords
Always create new passwords for online accounts, do not recycle them. If your passwords are common and easy to remember, then you are at higher risk of being hacked. Use a random password generator or create a combination of characters, numbers, and symbols that fortifies your identity security online. Do not write your passwords down in a discoverable location.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication requires you to maintain access to a secondary account or device when you log in. For instance, logging into your Gmail account may necessitate access to the corresponding YouTube account. This layer of protection puts up an extra wall of difficulty for potential hackers.
3. Use Secure Wifi
Know the source of your wifi connection and be wary of public, unsecured wifi. Using public wifi can expose your internet activity to other users. Use password-protected private connections for any sensitive digital work or video calls.
4. Depersonalize Public Account Information
Your public social media accounts may be handing valuable personal information to nefarious entities. Remove information related to your exact birthday, your full name, your alma mater, and your employer on public accounts.
5. Do Not Post Your Exact Location
Delay any social media posts that included recognizable locations. Try not to post your coordinates in real-time, especially when you are traveling alone.
6. Use a VPN While Traveling
Start a subscription to a virtual private network connection for accessing a more secure internet connection on the road. A VPN can obscure your identifying digital information and location while using public wifi in airports, hotels, libraries, and coffee shops.
7. Register an Electronic Banking Key
A physical device from your bank can help you to conduct secure activity from home. Use a registered electronic banking key to input a unique code each time you access your accounts online. Place the key in a protected place within your home.
8. Conduct All Digital Banking at Home
Sticking at home for all of your digital banking ensures that you are conducting your business on an internet connection that you can trust. Double-check that your wifi is private and log out of other social media accounts on your device.
9. Use Trusted Online Stores
Shopping can be fun and easy when you do it online, and it’s easy for the wrong entities to obtain your payment information. Vet any new online store’s payment system before you make purchases and stay on widely trusted websites.
10. Change Passwords Frequently
Even original and random passwords need to be refreshed frequently. Change your passwords often so that any undetected breaches in security can be contained and curtailed before they impact your life. Consider changing passwords monthly or weekly, depending on each account’s importance.
11. Use Device Lock Codes in Public
Lock your smartphone or tablet in person and use a numerical code. Using a code rather than facial recognition technology ensures that no one can make you unlock the device against your will.
12. Turn Off Bluetooth in Public
It is decidedly uncomfortable to have your Bluetooth-enabled device connect to another device while you are on a personal call or consuming digital content. Stop this from happening by turning off Bluetooth connectivity in public.
13. Backup to a Secure Cloud
Use a secure cloud to save backups of your data, such as documents and family photos. This ensures that you will maintain access to your data if your device is lost, broken, or stolen. It is better to be safe and back up your devices on an automatic schedule.
Protect your digital information and stake a firm claim to your identity online.
How To Protect Your Personal Data
Your identifying information follows your digital footprint across the internet. There are risks that accompany such exposure in public forums. Consider how your personal data could be breached and stop a looming crisis before it happens. Careful actions taken today can secure your digital future. Think about the following steps as you protect your personal data online.
1. Create Unique Passwords
Always create new passwords for online accounts, do not recycle them. If your passwords are common and easy to remember, then you are at higher risk of being hacked. Use a random password generator or create a combination of characters, numbers, and symbols that fortifies your identity security online. Do not write your passwords down in a discoverable location.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication requires you to maintain access to a secondary account or device when you log in. For instance, logging into your Gmail account may necessitate access to the corresponding YouTube account. This layer of protection puts up an extra wall of difficulty for potential hackers.
3. Use Secure Wifi
Know the source of your wifi connection and be wary of public, unsecured wifi. Using public wifi can expose your internet activity to other users. Use password-protected private connections for any sensitive digital work or video calls.
4. Depersonalize Public Account Information
Your public social media accounts may be handing valuable personal information to nefarious entities. Remove information related to your exact birthday, your full name, your alma mater, and your employer on public accounts.
5. Do Not Post Your Exact Location
Delay any social media posts that included recognizable locations. Try not to post your coordinates in real-time, especially when you are traveling alone.
6. Use a VPN While Traveling
Start a subscription to a virtual private network connection for accessing a more secure internet connection on the road. A VPN can obscure your identifying digital information and location while using public wifi in airports, hotels, libraries, and coffee shops.
7. Register an Electronic Banking Key
A physical device from your bank can help you to conduct secure activity from home. Use a registered electronic banking key to input a unique code each time you access your accounts online. Place the key in a protected place within your home.
8. Conduct All Digital Banking at Home
Sticking at home for all of your digital banking ensures that you are conducting your business on an internet connection that you can trust. Double-check that your wifi is private and log out of other social media accounts on your device.
9. Use Trusted Online Stores
Shopping can be fun and easy when you do it online, and it’s easy for the wrong entities to obtain your payment information. Vet any new online store’s payment system before you make purchases and stay on widely trusted websites.
10. Change Passwords Frequently
Even original and random passwords need to be refreshed frequently. Change your passwords often so that any undetected breaches in security can be contained and curtailed before they impact your life. Consider changing passwords monthly or weekly, depending on each account’s importance.
11. Use Device Lock Codes in Public
Lock your smartphone or tablet in person and use a numerical code. Using a code rather than facial recognition technology ensures that no one can make you unlock the device against your will.
12. Turn Off Bluetooth in Public
It is decidedly uncomfortable to have your Bluetooth-enabled device connect to another device while you are on a personal call or consuming digital content. Stop this from happening by turning off Bluetooth connectivity in public.
13. Backup to a Secure Cloud
Use a secure cloud to save backups of your data, such as documents and family photos. This ensures that you will maintain access to your data if your device is lost, broken, or stolen. It is better to be safe and back up your devices on an automatic schedule.
Protect your digital information and stake a firm claim to your identity online.