Better At: Cyber Security
Cyber hackers, phishing scams and credit card fraud, protecting your identity can be overwhelming. So today, we are going to talk about the tips, tricks and products to protect your valuable information online.
Video Transcript
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KAIT HOWELL: Hackers, phishing scams, and credit card fraud. Protecting your identity can be overwhelming. So today, we're going to talk about the tips, tricks, and products to protect your valuable information online.
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Let's take a look at the most obvious part of cybersecurity, your password. Never use the same password more than once. Cyberattacks can target websites and services with subpar security. And once you've used a password on one of those sites, they can then try it on all your other accounts to see if they can gain access. Besides having different passwords for different sites, make sure that 2-step verification is enabled wherever possible. That way, you have an extra layer of protection if your data is breached somewhere online without your awareness.
I don't know about you, but remembering a million passwords is certainly not one of the skills I am known for. So it might be tempting to, hey, let your browser remember it for you. But according to experts, this is a no-no. Instead, you want to invest in a password manager that specializes in the creation of complex passwords and in keeping them safe. Use a password manager like LastPass. That way, it takes the guesswork out of trying to both remember your password and the effort of coming up with a good one.
If you're beefing up your online security, one thing you want to focus on is your email. For a lot of us, our primary email is used everywhere, every site we sign up to or purchase we make. However, it's also used as the backup if you forget your password to a site or even your online bank account. This makes your email a prime target for hackers because once they get in there, they basically have the keys to the castle. So try and use a burner email for site logins. That way, it isn't connected to any crucial information or banking.
If you want to know if any of the sites you use have been involved in a breach, check out the site HaveIBeenPwned.com, which will let you know what sites you're on and where your data could have been compromised. Monitor your credit. This is something that most people probably don't do. You might check your credit card purchases, but people can also take out lines of credit in your name if they have your information. You can sign up for a credit monitoring service that will alert you to anything suspicious. Or it's just worth checking your credit score every now and then to make sure everything looks right.
Watch where you browse. HTTPS sites are more secure than just HTTP sites because they use a layer of encryption between the browser and the server. This is especially important when purchasing online. You can easily identify this as the browser will show a padlock next to the website address. However, dubious sites can easily fake this, so to check, click the padlock to see the security certificate. It should say issue to and match the name of the website that you're on.
Clean out your cookies and history. This one may be common sense, but maybe so much so that we forget to do it. Even better, set your preferences to stop websites from storing cookies at all. Cookies can collect your personal information, do things like autofilling forms, and it can also slow down your computer. So it's worth deleting them or even prohibiting them altogether. Beware of social media. If you're an oversharer, just be conscious that your public account could give cyber hackers exactly what they need to target you.
For instance, if you forget your password, some sites use key questions to allow you to log in. Some experts suggest lying about the answer or making your own question where it'd be very hard to find the answer. Questions like what is the name of your first dog, well, you might have already shared that with your 2,000-plus followers, and one of those followers could be Burney, the cyber hacker. Experts also suggest taking off any connected sites or applications that are linked to your social accounts or emails.
It's so easy and convenient to sign up for new sites and services this way, but opt for that burner email instead. Now, besides online, using an electronic wallet for in-store purchases is a great option. Some smartphone apps generate a one-time use code, meaning it's only good for that purchase. And you avoid the possibility of data theft by a credit card scammer. If you love holding your wallet in your hands and don't like the idea of it being on your phone, it may be worthwhile to add a physical layer of protection to your cards.
Although experts say RFID, or radiofrequency ID, theft is pretty rare, this wallet can keep your account safe, particularly those cards that use an RFID chip, like your credit card or driver's license. And of course, using a VPN, logging out of social sites before you start browsing, and keeping all your devices and applications up to date adds an extra layer of online protection. So what are you waiting for? Start clearing those cookies, update those passwords, and get better at cybersecurity.
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