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7 Cybersecurity Tips

The internet is a valuable commodity that comes with a heavy price. Every day, we freely store and give away our data to websites and apps. But just how secure are our data on the internet? Just from 2017 alone, over 6 billion user data records were stolen or leaked through Yahoo and Uber data breaches. But fret not! We’re here to give you tips on how you can make your personal data more secure.

The internet is a valuable commodity that comes with a heavy price. Every day, we freely store and give away our data to websites and apps. But just how secure are our data on the internet? Just from 2017 alone, over 6 billion user data records were stolen or leaked through Yahoo and Uber data breaches. But fret not! We’re here to give you tips on how you can make your personal data more secure.

Birthdays

Birthdays come in handy for verification on Google, Facebook or your bank. Keeping your birthday private or viewable by only certain people would help prevent your identity from being stolen.

 

Check-ins and Photo Postings

Identity thieves pry on personal data and upload them as their own. Possible stalkers also depend on check-ins and photo locations to track down people. Delay check-ins and photo postings to confuse these pesky people.

Passwords

Strong passwords are our first line of defense against hackers. Having a good mix of symbols, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters would help stop hackers from figuring out your password. The longer, the better. Pro tip: Get a password managing app to keep track of your passwords across different accounts and sites.

 

Loved Ones

Avoid listing relatives in the Family and Relationships section of your Facebook profile. If you can’t help it, make it visible to only your friends. Internet scammers could use this information to get resources from you and your loved ones.

 

Locations

Certain applications record locations on your phone data, media, and on your account. App records could even tell hackers the places you frequently go to. Turning your phone’s location off when you don’t use it would stop those shady people from following you around.

App Permissions

Some apps ask for access to your contacts, microphone, camera, and location. Read the permissions before accepting them. Your GPS app might need to know your location but your gaming or photo editing app shouldn’t.

 

Public WiFi

Public WiFi networks are by no means secure. Using a public WiFi makes it easier for hackers to obtain sensitive personal information such as bank account numbers and other necessary data. Avoid using public WiFi when shopping or doing banking transactions online.

 

Your account has been compromised! Here’s what to do.

1. Change your password immediately. Do damage control. Change the passwords of the linked accounts to your email. For example, if hackers got into your email account, you should also change the passwords of the social media sites that you have registered through that email address.

2. Locked out of your account? You may try to retrieve your account by resetting the password so you can restrict the hacker from your account, then replace the old password with a new one.

3. If all else fails, get help and report it to the company immediately. They will help you retrieve or erase the account once you provide a government ID or proof of your identity.

4. Poser! If your identity has been stolen through social media, report it on the social media platform. Send a notice to your friends and family about this so that they can report the said account. Lastly, go to the nearest police station to file a report if a malicious activity was done using your identity.






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