Five Way to Combat Cyber Criminals #HotSpotShield
I am a Hotspot Shield Ambassador. All opinions are my own.
The reports of cyber crime lately have been making national news. Things like Target’s breach affected over 110 million people! The hackers lifted not only credit card information, but personal information as well. Neiman Marcus suffered a similar fate recently when cyber criminals lifted credit card information from their databases. The information lifted from breaches like this ends up on the black market where the buyers might do anything from racking up high valued charges, or worse they might take the personal information and steal your identity.
Cyber criminals target more than just large businesses. Small businesses as well as individuals are just as vulnerable, maybe even more so. Our lack of knowledge or preparation leaves us open to these sorts of attacks. Within minutes the thieves have all the information they need to make your life a living nightmare for a while.
One of the top ways cyber thieves get this information from individuals is through their mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones). I’ve written recently about the hidden dangers of using public wi-fi. When I found this information I was a little shocked that I didn’t know about this! Lifting your stored personal information, passwords and your credit card information while connected to public wi-fi can be a simple task if the user is not properly protected… and I would venture a guess and say that a vast majority of people use public wi-fi without a second thought.
So what do you need to do to combat cyber crimes on a personal level?
- Create lengthy, complex, varied internet passwords that contain a mixture of upper & lower case, punctuation and numbers.
- Always update your software when prompted to. Usually updates are done to tighten security.
- Install a good anti-virus program as well as a VPN blocking software like Hotspot Shield.
- Be cautious when browsing sketchy websites. Always follow your gut instinct and close it out or don’t navigate to it if your software gives you a warning.
- Be super cautious when downloading any software, especially from third party sites. It is easy for malware to be bundled into your download without you noticing.
It’s a big world out there and it’s super fun to explore via the internet. Just be sure you know how to do so safely!
Great tips! As I travel more, I am becoming increasingly concerned with cyber security. Especially since I have so many accounts linked to my phone and tablet.
Ugh. I am the one who has very few passwords because I can never remember them! Lol. But all the password and bank card theft is scary stuff. I will have to look into those services to make sure I am protected.
This is so scary about getting a person’s identity stolen by criminals. It is becoming the crime of choice now, and they can get away with a lot of money. I will not use free public wifi. It is too risky, and what can I do to not let someone steal my money. Keep a close watch on my bank account!
Its so hard staying above all these criminals, isnt it??
Thanks for all the great tips. It’s sad that we have to be so careful now a days.
You could never be too careful. will be looking into that.