The majority of us are online on a daily basis – whether we are browsing, shopping, communicating, or performing job duties, it’s important to be smart about it. What does this mean? While you may think of document shredding as being the biggest form of information protection, and it is a big one; online protection is just as vital in protecting your identity.
As specialists in protecting confidential information, SAFESHRED wants to remind our clients to be cautious with online activity, and in an effort to do so we suggest that you follow some basic measures to remain secure from fraud and theft. Of course, the internet is an amazing and viable tool for us all. We use it daily for learning, research and communicating, and for paying those monthly bills. There’s no denying how helpful the internet can be for consumers and companies, but it is important to remember that there are some drawbacks and risks that come with it as well; cyber theft and fraud are the two biggies!
Keep these security tips in mind next time you’re browsing, shopping, or sharing information over the web.
Safe and Secure Online Shopping
To stay secure online, you should implement certain procedures and habits and pay attention to detail. For instance, be sure to use strong passwords that are long, difficult to guess, and are a combination of both numbers and lower/upper case letters. When doing any shopping online, always verify that the retailer’s security certificate is present and that the website you are using is in fact 100% secure. If a computer lacks proper security software, it is far more vulnerable to threats such as viruses and other malicious software. If this takes place, any details that are shared or processed on that particular computer may be in trouble. Potential problems that may arise from this situation include theft of personally identifiable information, bank account information, and lastly credit card numbers. To protect yourself from these outcomes, always double-check that there is an HTTPS lock symbol in your browser address window when making an online purchase.
Social Media Accounts
As social media platforms continue to take over the online world, this only adds more opportunities and outlets in which criminals can locate your profile and attempt to steal personal information. If you’re exploring on Facebook or browsing Instagram, never ever share information such as your social security number. While obvious, unfortunately, these things still happen and can lead to alarming consequences. You should also make a habit of changing your online passwords on a regular routine. While many do, we highly recommend that you keep details like your place of business, hometown, or birth date off of on any social media accounts. Refrain from storing credit card information online and during any third-party app purchases. Review all friend requests because in many cases cybercriminals will act under fake profiles to connect with you in hopes to discover your personal information for fraudulent behavior.
Anti-Virus Security Measures
Investing in anti-virus software is always worth the purchase, and will protect you tremendously online! As with anything, researching your options prior to purchasing the first one you come across is a step that’s for your best interest. Paid protection is always is always more effective than free. Never skip over using antivirus software as it’s a very important for maintaining online safety.
Any individual or company that creates, stores, or shares confidential material, should highly consider turning to professional shredding services for total protection. This includes hard drive destruction, data destruction, and document shredding.
At SAFESHRED, we will assist you in shredding all of your old media securely. Whether you have hard drives laptops or backup tapes to dispose of, we’ll handle the process for you in a manner that protects your information and our environment. Our secure services guarantee that your business is protected from data exposure and that you stay compliant with key privacy legislation.
Contact us today for additional information. Call SAFESHRED at 1-800-987-4733.
