5 Tips to Becoming Digitally Secure
Your digital life and your physical life coexist like land and sky which meet at the horizon all day and night. This means while you are present here on the ground, you also exist online. Coming to terms with this reality will help you make better decisions about securing that online self.
- Get device proficient: On a laptop, desktop, Mac, tablet, or smartphone, figure out what you’re doing. Take the time to learn enough about your electronics to become an expert on them.
- Become socially savvy: Use your devices to communicate socially. Keep in mind that online is forever. Consider that years from now, that information could be damaging or embarrassing. Assume everything you post is public and will be searchable forever, even with the strongest privacy settings available.
- Google your online reputation: Search your name and see what’s being said. There are plenty of websites that know who you are and mention you in some fashion. Creating your online persona socially will help establish your online presence.
- Invest in security: It’s not just your PCs—your identity, hardware and software are being targeted by criminals 24/7/365. Use common sense and know that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Today’s tools can insulate you from many criminal tactics and even help you locate a missing device. Whenever using free wireless, know that chances are someone is snooping on your communications. Get a VPN (Virtual Private Network)to protect your digital communications.
- Use effective passwords: “Princess” and “123456” are not strong passwords. Combine uppercase and lowercase letters with numbers and other characters.
Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures. For Robert’s FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.
