Online Security Protecting Your Identity in the Cloud

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY IN THE CLOUD! TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BUGGY LITTLE DATA HACKERS! Orockspoce. Social Networks 8 Don't expect complete privacy. Anything you post is available to all of your "friends," and potentially to friends of friends and so forth. (Read the privacy policy). O Don't skip reviewing the checkboxes when setting up an account. Many of those pre-checked boxes might give your network more access to view, share, and use your data than you intended. 8 Don't share personal details, like employer, address, or phone number. This information can make you a target for spam or phishing attacks. Email CREDIT CAD PTA 8 Don't forward chain letters, jokes, etc. They can carry dangerous viruses and malware (in addition to wasting productive time). 8 Don't open a message if it looks suspicious. Just clicking on some messages can activate unauthorized software installs and spyware. O Don't email sensitive company docs between work and personal accounts. One of the biggest differences in consumer email (free) and business email is the level of security. 8 Don't share personal information through email. Your bank will never ask you for your password information via email so even if the sender looks like it's your bank, if it asks you to share personal information, it's not your bank. Web Apps You 8 Don't skip reading the terms. This will help you understand how your information is being used or if additional software is being installed with the application. 8 Don't share login information, even to people you are close to. Doing so will allow unwanted actions to occur under your name. O Don't allow more than a few password attempts before having your account locked. O Don't sign up or buy without investigating security certifications. Many companies are required to have certain infrastructure and systems security certifications in place to operate. O Don't skip updates. Typically, those updates we hate taking the time to download and install include security tweaks to protect you against the latest threats. It's estimated up to 80% of browsers aren't running the latest version making them potential targets for cyber invasion. Smart Phones 8 Don't leave your phone unlocked. Use password protected screen locks. If your phone is lost or stolen, this can help prevent unauthorized use or access to information. 8 Don't ignore the information applications are accessing. When you install a new mobile app, be aware of what information the application states it will be accessing. Some applications allow you to customize what information and processes it can contact. O Don't ignore the information applications are accessing. When you install a new mobile app, be aware of what information the application states it will be accessing. Some applications allow you to customize what information and processes it can contact. 8 Don't give out your mobile number on the web. If you have a landline, use that as a default phone number for site registrations and marketing ploys. Scammers can use tools to gather phone numbers from sites and then fire off a flurry of texts. 8 Don't respond to spam texts. These work the same way as spam in your email inbox attempting to direct you to malicious links that will infect your phone. You can add your mobile numbers to the Don't call list at donotcall.gov O Don't connect to the web over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. An unen- crypted network lets anyone else on the network access your system and extract information like passwords, financial data, and other personal or business information. Passwords Your passwords are the keys to your digital security. Here are some tips to creating secure digital keys to keep prying eyes off your information: NAME PASSWORD 8 Don't use passwords that are based on personal information, like your birth date, street, or employer. 8 Don't use common dictionary words. Many successful hacking attempts use the "dictionary" attack of randomly attempting passwords using common dictionary words until one works. O Use lowercase and capital letters and combine letters, numbers, and special characters. O Use easy-to-remember phrases as passwords. Longer passwords are more complex and more difficult to crack. Consider using a simple phrase, like "ThisIsMyPassword2011". Use different passwords based on your own naming system for different logins. For example, thisismypassword2011Bank, thisismypassword2011Rackspace, etc. O Don't store passwords on your computer, email accounts, or in unen- crypted files. Often when an attack is launched, hackers have access to all of your data and are looking for files with names like "My Passwords". If you have to store password information, only store hints to the pass- word that you would understand without documenting the actual password. 8 Avoid using the "remember my password" option. If your computer is stolen, anyone can have access to all of your applications. Change your passwords frequently, like every 3 months.