Are You Protecting all your Devices?

Anything you own that’s connected to the Internet such as laptops, smartphones and tablets need to be protected. This is even more important during heavy use periods, like the holidays or tax season.

Shopping. A new area to watch more and more is shopping! You should be on alert for emails that might push you to act quickly and click through links and open attachments. Be wary of emails about problems with your credit cards or an account or the status of online order. Hackers know we are price sensitive when shopping online. If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Research: When using a new website for purchases, read reviews and see if other consumers have had a positive or negative experience with the site.

2 is better than 1: Turn on your 2-step authentication ‒ also known as two-step verification or multi-factor authentication ‒ where available. It adds a layer of protection beyond login and password.

Guard your Personal information: value it and protect it: When making a purchase online, stay alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete the transaction. Make sure you think it is necessary for the vendor to request that information. Remember, you only need to fill out required fields at checkout.

Watch out in Wi-Fi hotspots: Limit the type of business you conduct over open public Wi-Fi connections, including logging on to key accounts, such as email and banking. Adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access your phone.

When in doubt, throw it out: Links in emails, posts and texts are often the ways cybercriminals try to steal your information or infect your devices.

Use strong passwords: If your passwords are weak, improve them by adding capital letters, numbers and symbols and using different passwords for every account.