7 Security Tips To Avoid Online Identity Theft

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Identity theft is a real danger that threatens web browsers every single day. Decades ago cyber hackers did not get as much attention in the news as they do today. In this day in age though, they have become more sophisticated with their attacks and seem to be targeting not only more victims, but larger ones. You hear about identity theft everywhere you turn. Google it – the result is over a million returns on ways to protect yourself against malicious attacks. Turn on the radio and you will likely hear at least a couple of ads in one sitting for antivirus software, promising to keep you safe from hackers. It seems as though at least once a week now there is a large corporation in the news whose systems have been compromised and personal data leaked. You just cannot escape it, not in today’sinternet savvy climate.

If you or someone that you know has ever been a victim of identity theft, then you know how distressing the situation can be. Thieves can take your personal information and use it to open up numerous accounts. They can drain your bank account and impersonate you, for whatever reason. The mess that a cyberattack can leave behind could take you years to clean up after and in some cases, you may never recover. That is why it is so important to keep yourself and your personal information safe when you are using the World Wide Web. Here are 7 security tips that you can implement to help keep yourself protected against identity theft.

Download Antivirus Protection and Anti-Malware Protection

Surely you are familiar with these common ways of protecting your PC and personal info. If both ways do not sound familiar, surely you have at least heard of virus protection for pc. Recently, hackers have been using increasingly sophisticated means such as malware, to steal the financial information of Americans. Downloading both anti-virus and anti-malware protection will help safeguard you against these malicious attempts.

Malware enters your computer by a variety of ways, such as by clicking an infected link through an email attachment. Once a program of this type is on your computer it goes to work hijacking banking sessions, logging keystrokes and mining passwords. In addition to installing anti-virus and anti-malware protection you should take care to never save passwords for banking sites. For better protection, purchase a software kit from your nearest shop, also you can install free pc virus protection to save your data.

Avoid Phishing Sites

Phishing sites are those that present themselves as a legitimate website but serve only the intent of collecting your personal data. Beware of sites that ask for the following information:

  • Bank account routing number
  • Checking account number
  • Credit card information
  • Social security number
  • Driver’s license number
  • Health insurance information
  • Home address
  • Home telephone number

If you are soliciting such information, for instance, if you are applying for a new credit card, then the site is likely legit. However, if the request comes unsolicited you should proceed with caution.

Create Passwords with Care

The idea that a simple password is all that stands between malevolent hackers and your important information should be enough to make you think twice about the passwords that you use. Once a thief has zeroed in on your username or email address they can either try and guess your password, or use a sophisticated program to scan through thousands of possibilities. Take care to use not so obvious choices as well as a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters. Additionally, never use the same password twice.

OpenDNS

OpenDNS offers attractive and practical advancements for the user. Not only does it speed up your internet connection, but it also features a content filtering solution which works to alter you when dangerous sites have been visited via your system.

Shop Smart

Though the internet offers endless possibilities of websites selling just about everything under the sun, you should take care in who you choose to shop from. Not all websites are safe. Conversely, not all websites work diligently to protect your personal information, so proceed with caution when shopping at unfamiliar sites.

Check Your Credit Profile

Keeping tabs on your credit score via a credit tracker is a great way to know whether or not someone has gained access to your personal data. From here you can see when and where new accounts have been opened as well as monitor the activity on existing accounts.

Encrypt Your WiFi Network

You may feel as though it is safer to bank online at home than, say a café, but if you have not taken the time to encrypt your WiFi network then your personal information could be just as much at risk.

The internet savvy environment that we live in today is ever changing. In order to protect yourself from cyber attackers looking to gain knowledge of your personal information and control of your bank accounts, it is important that you take steps to prevent identity theft. Implementing the above 7 security tips will help you to do just that. Additionally, staying up to date on new advancements in the industry and new ways of protection will help to keep you and your personal information safe when using the Web.

Do you know of additional helpful security practices that can help to protect internet users from identity theft? If so, please share. We would love to hear from you!

Reference

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/0/22728224

http://www.immunet.com/

Peter Davidson
Peter Davidson is a tech enthusiast who loves being a part of the ever growing web community. He is a network specialist currently residing in US. Follow him on Google Plus