In a mobile and online world, securing your personal and professional information is essentially no different from securing your home and car. Locking the doors can serve as security, or monitoring and alarm systems might be more complex.
A mentality that recognizes the exposure, danger, and management of your information anytime it is requested is the first step. Let’s talk a look at the 5 simple ways to protect your privacy online by suspekt.org.
Avoid completing your social media profiles
It will be simpler for someone to get your information the more you disclose it online. Don’t assist.
Keep your social network profiles empty; everyone who needs to know your birthdate, email address, or phone number already has them. Take a look at your profiles. And what precisely is the point of disclosing all of your personal information on Facebook? You won’t do that if you value your privacy.
Don’t give out even the last four digits of your social security number to just anyone
If it’s not your bank, a credit bureau, a business wishing to do a background check on you, or another organization required to file reports with the IRS, you should be cautious about disclosing your social security number to anybody. Anyone who obtains it and possesses information about you, such as your address and date of birth, can use it to steal your identity, open credit accounts, and accumulate additional debt in your name.
Even your social security number’s final four digits should only be used in emergency situations. Banks and other institutions frequently use the final four to change your password so you can access your account.
Additionally, it’s much simpler to guess the complete number if someone knows the final four numbers and the city where you were born. This is due to the fact that the first three depend on whether you or your parents applied for your SSN there. The second pair of two digits is the group number, which is given to all the numbers distributed in your region at a certain moment. Therefore, given enough time, a determined identity thief with adequate processing power might hack it.
Secure your hardware
Make sure your computer asks for a password when it starts up or comes out of sleep. You may trust the residents of your home, but what if your laptop is lost or stolen?
Also Read: How To Strike A Balance Between Digital Privacy And Cyber Security Needs
The same is true for your mobile devices. Install an app that will find your phone or tablet if it’s lost or stolen, as well as lock it or wipe it clean of any data, so a stranger can’t have access to the gold mine of data stored on it. You should also use a passcode to access them every time you use them.
Utilizes private browsing
Each major web browser has a feature called “private browsing” that may be used if you don’t want anyone who has physical access to your computer to be able to see what websites you’re visiting. It deletes cookies, temporary Internet files, and browsing history once you close the window.
Every online advertiser is curious about the websites you visit, the products you buy, the people you are friends with on social media, your interests, and more. They can give you customized advertising that is more likely to persuade you to make a purchase by learning about your internet habits.
For instance, social media networks may monitor you even if you don’t have an account with them or aren’t signed in because of the Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ icons that are present on almost every website. Other times, data-gathering businesses use embedded code in banner adverts to keep tabs on your visits, preferences, and demographic data.
If you really value your privacy, you’ll use your IP address to hide when browsing the web. Use a web proxy, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), or Tor, a free open network that directs your traffic via a number of servers run by volunteers across the world before transmitting it to your destination, to do this.
Use a password manager to create and remember secure passwords
Most individuals are aware of the dangers of using the same password on many websites or applications. The numerous internet services you use may make it difficult or impossible for you to remember a distinct one. The issue with using the same password many times is that if someone learns it, perhaps through a phishing attempt, they may access all your accounts and cause major problems.
Use a password manager to solve this problem since it will not only keep track of all your passwords but will also create incredibly secure ones for you that will fill in login fields at the touch of a button.
