Blogs
Protect Yourself and Your Data - Proactive Steps for Living Safely in the Digital Age - 22nd May 2018
These
days your personal data is everywhere, and that information is valuable to
marketers, hackers and everyone in between. If you want to prevent the
unauthorised use of your personal information, you need to take a proactive
approach to protecting yourself and your identity.
You can no longer afford to be blase about your data security - if you are not taking proactive measures to prevent the use of your personal information, you are opening yourself up to all kinds of problems.
Here are some tips you can
use to protect yourself and your data in this age of data breaches.
Check Your Privacy Settings on Social Media
There
is an old saying in the tech world - if the service is free, you are the
product. Nowhere is this more true than in the world of social media. Avoid the
Facebook may be getting all the headlines, but other social media companies
operate in the same manner, selling your personal data to advertisers and serving
up targeted marketing messages.
While
there is nothing inherently evil in targeted advertising, it can become
obtrusive when bad actors get involved. If you want to protect your data from
the next Cambridge Analytica, you can start by adjusting your privacy settings.
Controlling the type of data that is shared, and who it is shared with, can go
a long way toward protecting your privacy.
Designate an Online Shopping Card
Shopping
online is convenient, but it is important to stay safe. With so much credit
card data being stolen, it has never been more important to be proactive about
protecting yourself and your money.
You
can start by designating a single card for all your online shopping. Use that
credit card whenever you shop online, then check your statements carefully for
signs of fraud and unauthorised use.
Avoid Saving Your Credit Card Data at Shopping Sites
It
may be convenient to save your payment information, but it is also risky. Avoid
the temptation to save your credit card information and instead take the time
to enter it each time you shop.
This
proactive measure will protect you in two ways. First, it will prevent your
credit card information from being revealed in the next data breach, but it
will also reduce the impulse purchases that might otherwise wreck your budget.
Use Strong Security on
All Your Devices
Your
online security is only as strong as your weakest link, so make sure all your
devices are well protected. From your tablet to your smartphone to your laptop,
make sure you have strong antivirus and malware protection on every device you
use.
Implementing
strong security and keeping it updated is one of the best things you can do to
protect yourself from the next data breach. Think of your online security as a
chain, one that requires the robust participation of every link along the way.
Data
breaches are inevitable, and the bad guys keep coming up with new ways to steal
your personal information. If you want to protect yourself in this dangerous
digital world, you need to take a proactive approach, and that means building
security into everything you do online.
AV Chartered Accountants - Committed to Your Business Success
Two convenient locations:
WARATAH +61 2 4629 5533 | MAITLAND +61 2 4933 6100
Email: mail@avca.net au
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