Due to the current situation there has been a massive rise in hacks and scams preying on people’s fear.This type of attack is a form of what the security professionals call “social engineering”. Here’s a few short pointers on how to stay safe online:
*Never click on links in emails, Whatsapp or social media: This has always been true, but, more so right now. If you need to go to a link google it first in a separate browser tab, but, don’t automatically click on the link.
*Double-check that you are at the correct site by looking in the top search bar and confirming that it is spelled correctly. You can still somewhat rely on the little lock icon in the top left of the bar to show that the site you are on is secure, but, it is not foolproof. Make sure to double-check your spelling. A relative of mine once downloaded an irreversible virus onto her father’s business computer by visiting faceboo .com instead of Facebook. Needless to say, her father was not happy.
*Use a site-specific credit card. A lot of fancier credit cards give you an option for virtual numbers linked back to your real card number.This way if the online company gets hacked they don’t have your “real” credit card number and you can just cancel the virtual number. Privacy.com is a free service that offers this using any bank account.
*Avoid Facebook quizzes. These are constantly being used by third party companies to mine your data. We provide answers to security questions when we create certain online accounts like the name of a pet, the model of our first car or the name of the street we grew up on. Quizzes on Facebook feel perfectly comfortable asking you those same questions and unassuming participants provide that information without even blinking.
*If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Sorry to break this to you, but, your favorite company is probably not giving you a free product. Think about what the company is taking from you while you are trying to get something from them.
*Please verify your sources before circulating information to everyone you know. Stop forwarding every coronavirus cure you find online.Thank you for your consideration.
Please let me know if this helped you. Feel free to forward to your family members. Stay safe.
For anyone who wants some more extremely polished security info go to www.decentsecurity.com.
