PROTECT YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY WITH CYBERSECURITY TODAY

“DON’T PUT OFF WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY FOR TOMORROW”—PROTECT YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY WITH CYBERSECURITY TODAY!

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BeenVerified’s Justin Lavelle Provides Simple Steps You Need to Implement to Protect Your Family from Hackers, Cybercriminals, Predators and Scammers

Today is the day to embrace Thomas Jefferson’s famous saying, “Don’t put off what you can do today for tomorrow.” In this case, we’re talking about cybersecurity. One of the hottest topics in our modern world and the issue of cybersecurity has become personal. In today’s current climate we must protect ourselves and our families from hackers, cybercriminals, predators and scammers. Just consider it good hygiene of the Digital Age. Don’t put off protecting yourself with simple actions you can implement yet today. The following measures are some of the straight forward ways you can help protect yourself and your family from the worst parts of the internet.

8 Simple Steps for Personal Cybersecurity:

• Get a Password Manager. Once you set yourself up a password manager, you’ll never want to look back. Gone are the days of trying to remember passwords or coming up with strong ones. A password manager creates unbreakable passwords and safely encrypts them. You only need remember one password to access all your passwords. PC Magazine (2017) recommends the following password managers—LastPass 4.0, LogMeOnce, Dashlane 4 and Sticky Password Premium.
• Tape Over Your Webcam. There’s no reason not to. Concerned-about-hackers Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg does it. If you don’t, there could be someone spying on you right now. You would never know, either.
• Safeguard Your Phone Number. Your cell phone number is linked to nearly everything about you. Giving it out so easily is like inviting a criminal into your home. You should treat your phone number like it’s your social security number. The path to personal information is the same. If a company is asking for your number, don’t give it to them unless it’s required.
• Download Signal. Praised by security experts and famously endorsed by Edward Snowden, Signal is an end-to-end encryption messaging app. It has become the go-to app for private conversations. The app saw a massive surge in downloads in the days after the election last year. By using Signal, you can rest assured your communications aren’t seen by anyone but you and the person you’re talking to.
• Update Your Web Browser. Surfing the web without an updated browser is like swimming with sharks. It’s not really a matter of if, but when, a cybercriminal will spot you floundering on the Internet without a cage and attack. Web browsers often have security updates which require a browser update to take effect. To make sure you’re using the latest version, visit the homepage of the browser you’re using. It will let you know directly when you arrive to the page.
• Download a Firewall AND Anti-virus Software. A firewall can be described as a traffic cop directing cars at an intersection. It enforces security by blocking unauthorized or potentially dangerous material from the Internet from getting to your computer. Anti-virus software makes sure malicious software is detected firewall and anti-virus software is right for your computer. Or you can go with one of the security suites PCMag.com recommends for 2017 as a one-stop solution. Most of the suites include antivirus, firewall, antispam, parental control, and some sort of additional privacy protection such as protection against phishing sites.
• Be Cautious with Public Wi-Fi. Never do any online shopping, banking or other sensitive online activities on a public Wi-Fi network.
• Guard Your Physical Devices. You can do so much to protect your device from hackers. But if the actual physical device gets into the hands of a criminal, it will be a lot easier for them to extract or corrupt information. So, don’t leave your phone or laptop unattended in public places. Don’t be complacent about cybersecurity. These are simple measures you can take for a cyber-safe life that you can implement today.

Credit for Justin Lavelle of Been Verified
Justin Lavelle is Communications Director at BeenVerified (https://www.beenverified.com). BeenVerified is the fast, affordable, and easy way to access public records and search for people. Find out ages, marital status, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, criminal records, and more.