The 7 Rules for Digital Defense
Podcast Transcription
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Hi everyone, welcome to PFC's Money Talk podcast. I'm your host Maddy. This is a topic that will forever be relevant and that's cybersecurity. No matter how tech savvy you are, cybersecurity should be top of mind anytime you use the internet. And if that sounds overwhelming to you, don't stress. You don't need to be an expert by any means. Good cybersecurity isn't complicated, whether you're messaging with friends, streaming music, watching movies, buying clothes, or paying bills. There are basic cybersecurity rules that anyone can follow. And I'm going to run through seven of those rules.
Number one is to use the right cybersecurity tools. This is the first line of defense against hackers and thieves who want your personal and financial info and that's to use antivirus software on your device and make sure that it's up to date. Anti-virus software can help protect against malware, which is a file or code that can infect your device and steal your information and a lot more. And if you don't have anti-virus software, there are reputable providers who offer basic versions for free. Just make sure that you run the software's updates as they are available. If you want to go beyond the minimum, it may be worth the money to subscribe to security software that protects specifically against more dangerous types of malware like spyware or ransomware. So make sure that you do your research and make sure that the security software you subscribe to is legitimate and worth the cost. If you want to check out some recommendations for software, consumerreports.org is a great resource for that.
Rule number two is to try a virtual private network or a VPN. This is another step further in protecting your online activity. If you don't know what a VPN is, it's an encrypted internet connection between a device and a network. It protects sensitive data and blocks unauthorized access to your traffic and identity. VPNs are common in the corporate environment, so you might use one at work, especially if you work remotely. But they can be useful for personal use as well, and especially if you connect to public Wi-Fi often. VPNs also protect against your data being sold by your internet service provider. Believe it or not, that is a thing. If you're trying to VPN for the first time, go with an established provider who has good reviews and a money-back guarantee. Make sure your VPN does not track your internet traffic or sell your data to third parties, which many of the free VPN services do do that. Look for a simple user-friendly interface, good customer service, preferably with a 24-7 live chat.
Limit the personal information you share online, including credit card and bank account numbers, your address, phone number, and any other identifiers. Also think twice before posting social media comments with personal thoughts and details about your life. Hackers use this information. They use it to guess your passwords, or they use it as part of an impersonation scheme. You can't control how your opinions are perceived. And it's also impossible to remove something entirely once it's posted online. Current and potential employers may monitor your social media. And the more information that's out there, the more likely it can be used against you.
Rule number four is to use social media protections. This means adjusting your privacy settings and options. Restrict who follows you. Consider limiting how much colleagues and other professional acquaintances know about your personal life. Don't accept friend requests from people you don't know. Block your posts from search engines so they're only visible to your followers. But also remember that your followers can screenshot what you write, even if they can't share it. Don't post personal information that is commonly used for passwords or password security questions, such as the name of your elementary school or your first pet's name and all those typical security questions that you get asked. Avoid posting about where you bank, where you shop. These seemingly harmless facts can help scammers locate you or get your information.
Rule number five, protect your passwords. Of course, we want to use strong and unique passwords on every site where you have an account. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts. If a hacker cracks one of your passwords for one of your accounts, they're going to try that password and every variation of that password on every other account connected to your email address. If you find it difficult to keep track of all of those different passwords, especially if they're all unique and crazy, you can get a password manager that encrypts and securely stores your passwords. And then you access all of your passwords with one single complex password. So, then you just have to remember one. And you can also use these password managers to store other things like credit card numbers, pins, and other personal information.
Rule number six, don't click or open unfamiliar links. Another one that can seem pretty obvious, but we get a lot of emails and messages and texts and all the things that come in to our devices and scammers are getting a lot more sophisticated with email and text messages. So don't click on any links or open attachments from sources that you don't recognize or that you weren't expecting. They may even send links to websites that look exactly like a website that you trust. Look for other signs that a message is a scam, such as incorrect company names or URLs, or even logos, poor grammar and spelling. Real companies are going to be proofreading and fixing any typos and mistakes before they send out any communication. Generic greetings are a sign that a message or email is a scam and urgent calls to action. So, these are things like your account is suspended, reset your password now or any other high pressure calls to action.
And last but not least, rule number seven is to shop safe online. Online shopping is very common and generally safe. But with that being said, look for a security padlock symbol to the left of the company's name in the URL bar. So if you are on a website and you look at the URL at the website, there should be a padlock symbol that can indicate that a website is safe. Also look for HTTPS in that URL. This indicates that the data you send and receive is encrypted. If you still want to buy from a vendor that's selling directly on social media or want to use a site without proper security in place, it's best to use a service like PayPal. Your PayPal account would be linked to your credit card or your bank and then purchases you make through PayPal are encrypted and the seller has no access to your account number. Super simple to use, but still anytime you use PayPal, make sure your security software is updated and avoid any financial transactions using public Wi-Fi. So, if you're on public Wi-Fi, avoid logging into your bank accounts or doing any purchases to lessen your chances of a hacker getting that information.
Okay. And that's all I have. That's all seven rules for being safe online, keeping your information safe, especially as we come up on this holiday season. Thanks for listening.
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