The digital world offers so many exciting things to do that it’s easy to overlook the need to be alert and aware online. The good news is there are a few small steps you can take to protect your privacy and safeguard your personal information online. The small steps you take today can yield big safety results for you and your family. This Cyber Security Month, secure your family’s online safety by adding a layer of security across your digital devices. Here are five great tips from our friends at the National Cyber Security Alliance’s Stop. Think. Connect., program to get you started.
1. Keep a clean machine.
- Keep security software current. Having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats.
2. Protect your personal information.
- Make passwords long and strong by combining capital and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols.
- Ask for protection beyond passwords. Many account providers now offer additional ways for you to verify who you are before you conduct business on that site.
- Own your online presence. When available, set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing.
3. Connect with care.
- When in doubt, throw it out. If an email, tweet, post or online advertisement looks suspicious, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete or if appropriate, mark as junk email.
- Get savvy about Wi-Fi hotspots. Limit the type of business you conduct and adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access your machine.
- Protect your money. When banking and shopping, check to be sure the site is security enabled. Look for web addresses with “https://” or “shttp://”, which means the site takes extra measures to help secure your information. “Http://” is not secure.
4. Be web wise.
- Stay current. Keep pace with new ways to stay safe online. Check trusted websites for the latest information, share with friends, family, and colleagues and encourage them to be web wise.
5. Be a good online citizen.
- What you do online has the potential to affect everyone – at home, at work and around the world. Practicing good online habits benefits the global digital community.
Stay aware and control your digital life. Visit Verizon Safeguards and Verizon’s Internet Security Suite for ways to implement the above tips across all of your Verizon devices. Follow @VZJackmAck on Twitter for daily online safety and cyber security tips and resources. For more ways to get involved in National Cyber Security Awareness Month visit www.staysafeonline.org.
