Data Breaches are scary as well as frustrating, especially when you have no control over the outcome. Take LiveAuctioneers.com for example. On June 19 of this year, 3.4 million user accounts were compromised which yielded Usernames, Passwords, IP Addresses, Phone Numbers, Email Addresses, Physical Addresses and Full Names to the hacker who was seen selling the database online for $2,500.00.
How to you protect yourself from becoming a victim of a Data Breach?
Preemptive tasks are the most important. Although small by themselves, these preemptive measures when done collectively and consistently, can prevent or mitigate the risk of common online data exposures.
- Utilize strong passwords. You can generate strong passwords. You can also check the strength of your password with online tools.
- Avoid using public wifi. When using public wifi, it is easy for cyber-criminals to gain access to your devices and data. If you must use Public Wifi, invest in a Software VPN like NordVPN. It masks your IP Address, and prevents unauthorized access to your transmitted data by encasing it in a secure tunnel from your computer to the website you are visiting.
- Keep your software and apps updated. Although updating can be a pain, keeping your software updated essentially fixes bugs in previous versions, addresses software vulnerabilities and patches security problems. Regular updates make your device more secure.
What to do if you fall victim to a Data Breach?
- Make sure you change your password. The best passwords contain Upper and Lower Case Letters, Number and Special Characters. You can use a password generator to help you create a secure password.
- Update any logins that use the same password.
- Use a password manager to keep track of your passwords. The are many password Managers out there ranging from Firefox’s Lockwise to Roboform’s Password Manager
- Use a Service that masks your IP Address, like NordVPN.
- Don’t disclose your phone number. If your phone number isn’t a required field, don’t give it out.
- Don’t use personal information in your passwords. This includes house numbers, family member’s names, city, street, etc.
- Set up two-factor authentication (2FA). Many sites (like gmail, as well as others) now offer 2FA. 2FA links to your cell phone, and sends you a unique, time sensitive 6 digit pin that you must enter in order to get access to the site you are logging into.
- Sign up for Breach Notifications. Sign up with the following site for notification of future Corporate Data Breaches that affect you.
To find out if you have fallen victim to any Corporate Data Breaches, please click on the link below, and enter your email address.
TSG Computer Services is a Vancouver and Abbotsford based IT Support and data recovery company who specializes in Security and Solutions for Increased Productivity. Contact us now to see how we can help you.