Protect Your Personal Information Online

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to think about how you are—or are not—protecting your personal information online. While you probably know not to make your password “password” or your PIN “1234,” cyber thieves are unfortunately getting more sophisticated. Whether it’s news of a breach of an online shopping site that you use, or it’s an unexpected email from a friend who asks you to click on a link, you should always act as though you’re at risk for online identity theft.

While the internet makes our lives easier and more connected, it also puts our information at risk. And as we’ve moved online for shopping, social media, banking and other daily activities, identity thieves have followed us. According to a recent industry research study, card-not-present fraud, which includes online transactions, increased 40 percent in 2016.[1] Additionally, if your security is compromised, the friends and family with whom you connect online can also be at risk.[2] That’s because many scams use the impersonation of a friend, family member, or trusted institution to get people to freely provide information or click on a link that downloads spyware. All in all, the internet can feel like the “Wild West” when it comes to identity protection—it’s fun, but you need to be mindful of the danger.

Do I need to be worried about cybercrime?  

The short answer is yes. In fact, according to an article from SecurityMagazine.com, a cyber attack occurs every 39 seconds.[3] Cyber thieves aren’t picky either. Regardless of your age or status, having personal information online makes you a potential target for cyber theft. Thus, while it’s not necessary to live in constant fear, it’s important to be cognizant of the threat.

What do cyber thieves want from me?

It depends on the thief, but in general, hackers are looking for ways to steal your identity for financial gain by swiping your credit card numbers, Social Security number, tax forms and more. Or in the case of breaches, they might be interested in stealing large masses of identity data to sell to other thieves, or to “kidnap” sensitive information and charge a ransom for its return. Even if they can’t directly steal your personal information, they are often looking for clues to your identity that you might inadvertently share, such as your mother’s maiden name or a tribute to your first car. Likewise, if hackers gain access to your email address, they can send you “phishing” emails, which will ask you for still more personal information.[4] Therefore, being a bit paranoid with your personal data can be a good thing.

The best defense is one that never sleeps.

By now you hopefully understand that your information is potentially vulnerable anytime you’re online, whether you’re on a shared computer, personal laptop, phone, or even a video game console. In this increasingly connected and digitally driven world, it’s more important than ever to take precautions to keep your connection secure and personal identity safe.