Gone are the days of internet past, when the web was a wholly safe place to look at funny cat pictures and play endless games of Snake and Minesweeper. The online universe we know and love is now rife with criminals, many of whom want to steal your personal data.
While precautions, like downloading a firewall and making your passwords difficult to guess, can make surfing the net much safer, there are some pieces of information that you should be taking extra steps to safeguard when you’re online. Here are the three most valuable pieces of personal information you have and how you can protect them.
- Your social security number. The single most important piece of personal information you have is your social security number. You should never give out your social security number to anyone online, especially if you are unable to verify their information. If you absolutely need to type in your SSN anywhere on your computer (like in a credit card application or loan agreement), know that data destruction services in NJ can wipe your social security number from your hard drive when you upgrade your machine, which can help keep you safe.
- Your birth date. Many people proudly display their birthdates on their social media profile. However, doing so can open yourself to hacking attempts on your credit card or banking accounts. For safety’s sake, use a fake birth date on your social media profiles (it doesn’t have to be completely fake, just mix up the year) and make sure to always keep your profile on private mode. Hard drive destruction companies in NY can also wipe this information from your old machine should you decide to upgrade, just like your social security number.
- Your mother’s maiden name. Your mother’s maiden name is another piece of information that might be advertised on your social media profile, leaving you vulnerable for cyber attacks. Make sure to put your “family” setting as private on your Facebook account to fully protect yourself.
For more helpful information on protecting yourself online, contact our team at Keystone Technology Management today!