Some Tips On How to Protect Personal Data Online - Photo credit: seidenbergnews.blogs.pace.edu
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Greetings! Today, I want to talk about the security of private data online. Although in real life people try to protect personal data, the situation on the Internet is exactly the opposite. Many people do not even hesitate to share their stories with photos, phone numbers, or home addresses. Each of us understands that promoting sensitive personal data in a real life is risky, but online, people often not even think about the security when posting their photos, address or phone number on the social networks. Many people give unlimited access rights to new gadgets: the location, photos stored on the phone, contacts, and other saved information. Unfortunately, this information can be exploited by malicious people. Better be vigilant, and carefully decide what you can show to others and whether this is really necessary. So, let's talk about some simple tips on how to protect personal data online when we search, browse, download or upload something.
It looks like people talking much and are concerned about the personal data protection on the Internet, but they do not take real actions to protect themselves. A frequent one is not even keen to read the privacy of sites, protect their email addresses or install an advanced antivirus program.
Many people online do not understand or figure out what's going on with their private data. In some cases, there is just a lack of information. Also, the companies are avoiding to disclose the algorithms they use, and for which purpose the human personal data is used. Another reason is psychological satisfaction. Satisfaction of fast life's pace on the Internet: with the click of one button, we log in, comment, buy a thing or download a file. It makes people forget about the security of private data.
Becoming Anonymous: The Complete Guide To Maximum Security Online
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Learn From My Mistakes
There is a reason why I want to talk about the security of private data online. Some years ago, I used various online sources and did not care about any personal data protection. As consequences, I got hacked my Gmail email account.
Online business sites always send emails to their members with the login details. At this time, such data was not encrypted. So, the hackers entered my email, stole all the login details of many sites I was in. At that time, I was a little bit in online business and earned some money already. They hacked one of my payment processors and stole some money. Fortunately, it was not a big sum. They also hacked one site where I had a lot of site's shares, and those shares were worth a few hundred dollars. They simply sold all my shares to other members (there was such function) and withdrew all money. Then, I got hacked into my Facebook account, where they made joke posting many meaningless posts.
Cybersecurity - Photo credit: hayltoncenah.blogspot.com
The hackers or hacker (I still do not know who it was) did it all in one day, and I still knew nothing. After they finished dealing, they send phishing emails to my contacts asking for money. They created a strange story saying that I travel in the US, someone stole all my money, and I cannot come back home.
Can you imagine how I felt? This was the last thing that forced me to search for the info about online data security. There were too many coincidences at the same time? I don't think so. I think it was my stupidity to use the same password everywhere and to keep this info in the emails. No big surprise that I got so easy hacked. Of course, I got not just disappointed, I was frustrated and angry, but I understood what the mistakes I made. I had a business account on Facebook and often shared much info where and how I earn money. The profiles on social networks were all public, and everyone could see my posts. It was enough to hack the Gmail account which had a very easy password. The email address itself I shared without any fear anywhere. And the hackers easy found all the info they needed to. Fortunately, we can learn how to protect personal data online.
You can say that I was just silly to use the same password everywhere. Yes, I agree. It was easier, it was simpler to enter sites I worked with. I never cared out about any of my data. I thought if I am honest, everyone is honest too. But that is not so.
Security of Private Data - Photo credit: techforing.com
I learned from my mistakes. I never use simple and the same password everywhere, even the same username. I use strong virus protection. My accounts on social networks are all private, and I never post any of my personal data anymore, or photos. I use all login security functions that every site has.
Yes, I made a stupid mistake, but it was a good lesson for me, although, a bit painful lesson. When I see that people use the same email for private deals and business deals, I want to warn them - do not do so. When I see profiles on Facebook with business promotions and, at the same time, many shared photos of owner's life, I wonder why they are not thinking about security? Everyone should have one private profile for all his friends, and another public profile for business sharing and promotion.
I am not only one who got hacked accounts online. Believe me, it happens daily, hourly, every minute. Even business sites with strong protection get hacked and stolen members' personal data. And there were some scandals about revealing some personal data online. So, learn from others mistakes and secure your personal data.
What is Personal Data That We Should Protect
Every person can be identified by certain data, and these data are called personal data. Personal data includes, for example, a name, a residence address, a face image, a personal code, a fingerprint, a phone number, an e-mail address, Internet Protocol (IP) address, car number, etc.
Personal data can be divided into two groups:
- Personal data from which personal identification can be made directly - name, surname;
- Personal data that can be used to identify a person - personal identification number, email address and the like.
Personal Data Protection - Photo credit: phamhongphuoc.net
By using the Internet, these two groups of personal data that can identify a specific person are greatly expanded. Once you irresponsibly shop in the e-shop, all the further information about your queries, the shopping habits become available to the manager of the website.
Not only data, such as a home address or a phone number, but also the Internet Protocol (IP) address may be relevant to the online space because we can find out a lot of data about the Internet user from the IP address. Every day, we use the browser and cookies can be created on the computer, which can collect important information about the user.
Every day, millions of people work online: they browse, search for information, use email, participate in newsgroups and social sites. However, many of them do not even know about the dangers to their privacy. Information transmitted over the Internet or published therein may be visible worldwide. Without special precautions, malicious people can find out not only personal things but also use the identity of another person (to pretend to be the person). It's easy to explain the very specific harm made when you disclose your online banking login data - you can lose all the money.
Once you've lost your privacy, you realize you've lost an extremely valuable thing. - Billy Graham
Credit: : brainyquote.com
However, the no less risk is to publish on social chats or on websites your home, workplace, school address, phone number, and personal photos. With these data, malicious people may start harassing, exploiting or blackmail minors.
While reading my blog how to protect personal data online, please, check the Querlo Chat:
Personal Data Threats Online
Every day, we create new threats to our personal data, as it becomes a product: someone can sell, use, or pretend to be another person. Everyone has the right to privacy, and his private life cannot be touched, but online personal privacy is gradually disappearing, and this issue is becoming more and more relevant.
One of the widespread privacy violations - Internet user tracking with the aim of finding out their browsing habits, hobbies, e-mail. The collection of email addresses is used for the purpose to send the advertising and other unwanted emails to the customers. The more convenient the services, the greater the cooperation opportunities provided by any website, the greater the risk of privacy loss in it.
The various viruses can be spread online that can track, store, and capture personal information. The spyware also may be in the computer. Electronic spyware can be used in two ways: through hardware or software.
A mobile technology development already has a tremendous impact on business, and there are even more opportunities in the future, as the global mobile technology market is growing at an extremely fast pace. Data security and personal privacy are among the most important challenges for online business, as even 90% of consumers are concerned that personal data on a mobile device would not become available to third parties.
Security of Private Data - Photo credit: nomeloexplicaron.wordpress.com
Mobile devices are still at considerable risk of security. Often, they are overlooked by its owners, and even passwords are created weaker than, for example, on personal computers. In addition, smart devices are increasingly in use by consumers, and thus, more and more personal data is being accumulated, which lost can have severe consequences. The more you upload mobile gadgets, the more you increase the risk of data privacy loss.
A Few Tips On How To Protect Personal Data Online
The most important rule for using the Internet is not to disclose your identity: name, surname, address, e-mail address, and other personal data. Do not reveal this information to everybody online. Do not use your real name on the Internet where it is not really needed - come up with a nickname. Information about the parent's workplace, relatives, and even the address of the personal website is also private information, not disclosed to anyone.
Do not enter your real data on obscure websites requiring registration. If the registration is required to download a document or program from such a website, please provide email address created separately for such purposes.
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Review your privacy settings on social networks. Perhaps the focus here should be on privacy settings on Facebook. I advise you to see who can see your photos, posts, and personal data. The best way is if your personal data would be seen only by your friends. But do not forget that friends should be chosen carefully on social networks too.
Also, more attention should be paid to unreliable pages. When ordering goods or services from lesser-known websites, you should always seek out more information about its legacy. It's enough to search for a few minutes online, and you can get a general picture.
You should not forget the mobile gadgets. When downloading a new gadget, one should pay attention to what data they want to access. Both Android and iPhone phones allow the users to select specific access permissions for each application. Recently, there are new ways of protecting data on mobile devices. For example, using the phone's geo-location feature, payment card companies can see where from the customer paid with the card. In addition, the time has come for the introduction of technology to authorize the use of biometric personal data, for example, using a camera phone. The market is waiting for the release of other security technologies that will apply science fiction to reality.
Online Data Security - Photo credit: blogspot.hrdq.com
It is not necessary to specify all the requested data. If you only create email, you do not need to have a full profile on your mail account. And if you sign up on the social network, you can minimize the amount of personal information that you submit there. If you do not need an answer, you can always submit a fictional email address.
Be careful with cookies. When setting your browser to discard third-party cookies, make sure the cookie information can only be collected by the websites you visit. This will reduce the opportunities for unscrupulous thieves to steal your information, for example through fake advertisements on websites you visit.
Passwords. Make sure the passwords keep your data confidential and not give permission to use your personal data. Do not use the same password everywhere. Also, it's a bad idea to use your username of one site as a password on another website. Use the numbers and letters, some Caps Lock in the combinations that are not vocabulary words.
Security of Private Data - Photo credit: fbi-school.blogspot.com
Look at the profiles of others - what you can read about their owners, others can read about you. Posting photos can also help you to get in trouble. By posting your personal photos to the Internet, you have very little control over how they will be used later. Still, you want to provide all this data?
Keep your personal data safe. Social networking sites are a gold miner for data collectors, so make it harder for them to work by setting the strictest privacy options in your profile. In hot discussions, you can reveal more data than you think, so make sure you publish information without personal data.
If you do not log out of a social network or a bank account, it's the same as leaving not a locked car out. Avoid the risks and disconnect from all accounts before browsing the web.
Protect your wireless network with a trusted password and use wireless access security (WPA) encryption whenever possible, because it's more secure.
Consider a payment method that is used solely for online shopping. Set a low credit limit, so that if someone receives your card details, they would harm you not so much.
Data Protection On The Internet - Photo credit: blog.cbcloud.com
On the Internet, as elsewhere, it's important to know what are you joining. For example, certain contracts are automatically renewed, so if you do not want to receive deducted funds from your credit card, you must decline the contract at a particular time.
Computer Cameras: If You Have Enemies or Secrets, an Adhesive Tape Can Be Useful To You
The cameras are mounted on a large number of everyday devices, and all of them have an Internet connection, so at least basic security steps are required or, if it is to be more comfortable, use a piece of adhesive tape. Many cameras do not even have the elementary security features.
Many, if not half of the cameras, have the problem that they do not ask the user to change their default username and password or that they have a vulnerable spot, through which the security system can be circumvented. It's possible to break into any webcam connected to the Internet. When connected to the camera, it is possible to control everything.
Data Protection On The Internet - Photo credit: osxdaily.com
Some camera settings can enable or disable remote login. Some people use this feature. Actually, everyone should check, if there is such function in cameras settings, or use at least adhesive tape.
On The Final Note
Personal data is important information related to us, our personality, and the identification of us as a person. Personal data security is regulated by various legal acts around the world, but this does not always help to keep personal data protected. There are many various problems with the correct protection of our personal data. One of the most urgent problems of today, which is encountered with personal data, is the Internet. The Internet is becoming easily accessible to more and more people. It spreads over a variety of information; people interact with each other on social networks, write emails, use cloud services, connect to Wi-Fi networks.
Internet users do not think about all the threats that are hidden on the Internet, and often become victims, whose data someone else uses. Everyone has the right to privacy, and his private life cannot be touched, but online personal privacy is gradually disappearing, and every year, this issue becomes more and more relevant.
Protect Personal Data Online - Photo credit: edu.cnblogs.com
However, personal data protection should not be an obstacle to the development and growth of e-commerce, but the progress should not reduce the people's right to the privacy and their data. Every year, we all are moving towards the widest possible use of the Internet. And not just the Internet we use more and more, but also the mobile network in everyday life. Mobile signing, mobile billing, the mobile wallet is no surprise anymore, although the world's first Smartphone has been presented only around ten years ago.
Of course, everyone needs to be vigilant and feel secure as the Internet brings its own risks. A business must also continue to invest in cybersecurity, which is the basis for their growth. We should remember that all decisions that will be made for the private data security can and must be based on modern and new principles, without thinking about the return to a paper-based past.
For me, privacy and security are really important. We think about it in terms of both: You can't have privacy without security. - Larry Page
Credit: brainyquote.com
I call you to use all security features to feel safe online, and I hope you will never lose any private data.
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