How to protect your Personal Information

May 24, 2015February 29, 2016 gccexchange 0 Comment

Keeping personal information secure is one of top priorities. One can his protect information from unauthorized access. Here are important steps one can take to mitigate the risk of gaining access to your account and personal information.

Keep your account details secure

Choose your username and password carefully, and make sure your password and secret question are difficult to guess. Don’t use the same sign-in information for several online accounts. If others can access one of your accounts, they can access your other accounts as well.

Use these tips to choose a secure username, password, and secret question.

Account information	Tips
Username	· Choose a username that isn’t related to your email address or other online accounts. This helps keep all your online accounts secure. · If necessary, change your username.
Password	· Choose a secure password that’s difficult for others to guess. Change your password every 30 to 60 days. · If necessary, change your password.
Secret question	· Choose a secret question that you can answer easily but others can’t easily guess. If someone can answer your secret question, they might be able to reset your password. · If you don’t have a secret question, you can create one. If you already have a secret question, you can change.

Beware of spoof emails and websites

Spoof (fake) emails attempt to mimic legitimate eBay emails. The people who send these messages hope you’ll click a link in the email and provide sensitive personal information. If you receive suspicious email, don’t click any links in the message. Learn how to recognize and report spoof email and spoof websites.

Install and update online protection software

Learn about online protection software to understand how you can protect your computer’s data against unauthorized access.

Software type	How it can help protect you
Antivirus software	Computer viruses are software programs designed to interfere with your computer operations, such as corrupting or deleting data, and can sometimes spread themselves to other computers. Emails are a frequent carrier of these viruses. Antivirus software that is kept up to date and is used regularly to scan your computer can help prevent and repair issues caused by these viruses.
Spyware protection	Spyware is software that’s downloaded to your computer without your knowledge, and can be used to collect personal information, steal your passwords, and record your Internet use. Spyware protection software is designed to detect and remove spyware installed on your computer, as well as block incoming threats.
Internet firewalls	Firewalls control the flow of information between your computer and the Internet. Using a hardware or software firewall helps prevent unauthorized people from accessing information stored on your computer.