Did you know that per year, cybercrime profits and damages have sky rocked to one trillion dollars? That number is from a U.S. Senate testimony citing FBI data. Many people may think that they are not particularly vulnerable to being the victim of internet crime, but the facts tell the real story: even Google has been hacked. Obviously, if Google can be hacked, anybody can be hacked!
Savvy computer users are intentional about protecting themselves online. They do not sit back and live in fear that they will be the next victim of cybercrime. Rather, they take proactive steps to reduce the chances that they will be hacked. There are many things you can do to protect yourself. For example, you can make sure to use strong passwords for your online accounts. Hackers can decode simple passwords.
You can make the jobs of hacker harder by making sure that your passwords have more than eight characters. It is better to have fourteen or more characters, but eight is the minimum. You also do not want to use dictionary words as your passwords, even if it is in a foreign language. Also, do not use letters or numbers in sequence-even in keyboard sequence.
Further, it is important to use different passwords for different accounts and to use combinations of letters, numbers and characters. Avoid using your birthdate, anniversary date, etc., even with another number added to the end. Hackers can figure this out. Once you decide on a password, you can test it by using a password checker A quality password checker rates your password for you according to its strength and does not store information.
It is also important to not run outdated software. When software updates become available, be sure to install them. Hackers continue attacking old versions of software after the manufacturers have stopped supporting them. This means that if hackers find bugs in an outdated version of a program that you are using, they can vandalize you. That very bug may have already been fixed in an updated version.
Phishing is another danger on the internet. Phishing refers to the practice of deceiving a person into thinking that a person is legitimate, when he is, in fact, a crook. Hackers who phish will pretend to be a reputable company and thereby gain access to your personal information. The best way to protect yourself against phishing is to never click on an address inside an email; type the address into the box instead.
Savvy computer users are intentional about protecting themselves online. They do not sit back and live in fear that they will be the next victim of cybercrime. Rather, they take proactive steps to reduce the chances that they will be hacked. There are many things you can do to protect yourself. For example, you can make sure to use strong passwords for your online accounts. Hackers can decode simple passwords.
You can make the jobs of hacker harder by making sure that your passwords have more than eight characters. It is better to have fourteen or more characters, but eight is the minimum. You also do not want to use dictionary words as your passwords, even if it is in a foreign language. Also, do not use letters or numbers in sequence-even in keyboard sequence.
Further, it is important to use different passwords for different accounts and to use combinations of letters, numbers and characters. Avoid using your birthdate, anniversary date, etc., even with another number added to the end. Hackers can figure this out. Once you decide on a password, you can test it by using a password checker A quality password checker rates your password for you according to its strength and does not store information.
It is also important to not run outdated software. When software updates become available, be sure to install them. Hackers continue attacking old versions of software after the manufacturers have stopped supporting them. This means that if hackers find bugs in an outdated version of a program that you are using, they can vandalize you. That very bug may have already been fixed in an updated version.
Phishing is another danger on the internet. Phishing refers to the practice of deceiving a person into thinking that a person is legitimate, when he is, in fact, a crook. Hackers who phish will pretend to be a reputable company and thereby gain access to your personal information. The best way to protect yourself against phishing is to never click on an address inside an email; type the address into the box instead.
About the Author:
Author Mark Mahaffey is a security expert who can show you how keep yourself and your family safe from internet crime. To learn more about internet security as well as home and commercial security in San Diego, visit his site.
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