How to Protect Yourself Online

Steps on How to Protect Yourself Online

The Marketing Square has explained steps on how to protect yourself online. Since May 2016 we have helped more than 36 clients that were hacked as of Sunday, August 28. Hours have been spent helping people get their computers and accounts “re-secured.”

You’re never really secure online…you’re really vulnerable but can take steps to protect what you can. Start by understanding that there is NOTHING to keep hackers from attacking you. But you can make it a little more difficult. It’s not common sense, it takes time, and most people get frustrated by the security so hire someone to do it for you.

No. 1: Install WebRoot

Start by installing WebRoot SecureAnywhere Internet Complete on PCs and Macs for solid computer and online security program and let it run. NEXT, uninstall Norton and MacAfee “security.” If it’s free, it’s not going to protect you.

No. 2: Delete Banking Apps

Delete banking Apps from Phones, iPads, Tablets and STOP trusting phones and computers for “secure banking online.” If you remain logged into your account or keep your password “remembered” on your device, you may as well throw money out your window. If you remain logged in you’re risking your identity.

No. 3: Order LifeLock

Order LifeLock NOW, don’t wait, if your banking or any other account has been compromised because you are responsible for protecting your identity and it may be too late. If you think your bank is protecting your identity, you are wrong.

Banks only refund money stolen from accounts. Read the fine print. LifeLock Ultimate Plus will help you by alerting you when someone tries using your information to create new accounts–in the U.S. Pay $30 a month vs. a lifetime of trying to regain your identity.

Why Now?

These are not sudden suggestions or a series of security breach incidents. However the hacks in the past week are incredible. Unfortunately people ignored suggestions to create complex passwords, login and logout of accounts, bank at home.

The Marketing Square helped to clean up hacked computers and prevented hacks from coming in via multiple portals. People wish they would have done it years ago, months, weeks ago when first told they were at risk to online attacks.

Easiest Access

Currently, PCs, Facebook, online banking and e-mail are the top culprits for access to your private information. Internet Explorer is a nightmare: it’s by far the worst browser for hacks no matter how hard it is for you to consider changing from this browser. Get over it and switch to Google Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox. Yahoo e-mail is the worst e-mail for hacks. But I’ve also seen entry via bank accounts.

Security Suggestions

1. Please stop banking on your phones, iPads and tablets—they are NOT secure and cannot be secured.
2. Stop downloading apps and giving random creators full access to your phones! New apps are the worst…startups are bad. Low budget apps are going to skip expensive security and just want full access to your device and data.
3. NEVER e-mail passwords or text. CALL or write them down only
4. Stop using free or public Wi-Fi — even public Wi-Fi with “passwords”
5. Never, ever put birthday, social security number, driver’s license into online forms
6. Take your birthday off of Facebook. Now. Create a fake one and announce the day to friends if you like
7. Change Facebook settings so that your dates, schools, cities lived in are hidden, deleted or never input to your account
8. Don’t fill in all the personal data Facebook and other social media ask for when you’re creating accounts. Change all your passwords every 6 months
9. Use only complex passwords & write them on paper only
10. Create different passwords for every account
11. Password rules:
    • 3 numbers
    • 3 punctuation marks
    • Uppercase letters
    • Lowercase letters
    • Never use names, birthdates, addresses, children’s names, anything personal
    • Write passwords on paper & store – you’re more likely to be hacked than have someone steal your passwords sheet
12. NEVER store passwords in phone, tablet, computer, flash drive or hard drive
13. Don’t stay logged into Facebook, other social media, e-mail accounts, and bank accounts
14. Never check the box that says “remember me on this account” “stay logged in for 2 weeks”
15. Login and logout of every account, every time
16. Banks do NOT protect your identity–only your money
17. Don’t open videos or pictures via e-mail from friends passing them around for fun. You’re very likely to get a virus
18. Don’t open e-mails from friends you haven’t heard from or that have no subject line
19. Beware “official” e-mails from Apple, Yahoo, LinkedIN etc. If you haven’t been contacted before, you’re very likely to be reading a fake and then it’s too late
20. Never look at your bank accounts online outside the U.S. or at airports. Use only a secured Internet connection with a password on a computer with WebRoot security and not on a friend’s or public device
21. Macs ARE vulnerable to viruses and hacks
22. PCs are very, very, very vulnerable to viruses, hacks and ongoing security nightmares
23. If you insist on banking online, buy & install WebRoot Internet Secure Anywhere & use only at home–$30 for 5 devices. Watch official WebRoot website for this deal. If you don’t see it, wait a day or call and ask for it.
24. Do NOT buy and download WebRoot security via eBay or Amazon or other discount websites or vendors. Buy only from WebRoot.

Technology Sucks!

You can groan, get angry, frustrated and throw fits over the number of online accounts that you use and will have to change. It doesn’t matter: you can leave everything alone, cross your fingers and hope that nothing happens or you can actively protect yourself. You’ll be begging for help to secure your computer and devices online and it will be too late.

Online security is your responsibility. There’s not an FBI task force or police online trying to keep you safe. If you do need help call and The Marketing Square can make an office visit and get your computer “secured.”

How Bad is It?

Just imagine that the front door to your home, your office, bank accounts are wide open and available to anyone who decides they’d like to stop in and steal your things. That’s the reality of it.

Hackers are waiting to meet you and they’re forcing their way into computers and phones around the world. If you wonder what happens when a computer is hacked, do nothing. You’ll find out soon enough. Prevent, prepare and cross your fingers.