5 Online Security Tips Everyone Can Use

SOS Daily News provided the excerpt below on June 6, 2021.

…There are proactive online security steps to take when you suspect an account may be compromised, including ways to help keep it from happening.

Red Flags That Indicate Your Online Security is Compromised

Look for irregularities in any accounts as a sign of compromise. Receiving alerts from businesses, banks, social media, and other accounts that logins to your accounts were attempted is a huge red flag. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s been a compromise, but it lets you know that others have tried. Taking immediate action on any suspicious activity, no matter how insignificant it may seem, should always be Step One.
Immediately change account passwords, especially those showing activity you didn’t authorize. It is best to freeze accounts where finances and other important data are kept when possible; you can always unlock them later.
Regularly check credit reports for irregular activity; don’t hesitate to freeze them from further use. TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax no longer charge to freeze and unfreeze your accounts, so don’t hesitate to do so if needed.

Alert Your Accounts, Especially Financial, about Compromise

If you suspect a financial account has been compromised, alert ALL institutions dealing with your finances. These should include banks, credit card companies, credit bureaus, Google, Apple, Amazon, PayPal, Venmo, and other accounts where your financial data is stored or from where it’s accessed. Alerting the involved companies can also serve as a heads-up to them that a more significant hack may be in progress. This may prevent others from also being victimized.

Boost Online Security by Changing Passwords Regularly

Protecting the keys to your kingdom starts with savvy and strong password use. Studies show that compromised passwords are responsible for 81% of hacking-related breaches. All passwords should be long and include upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. Change them regularly, and consider using a password manager if you can’t remember them all. ]Look for accounts and apps you haven’t used in a long time and delete them to reduce password exposure and hacking opportunities.

Use 2FA and Update Preferences

Two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) should always be used when available. They add layers of login protection that verify it’s you who’s signing into your account and not a cybercriminal. Update preferences used for your 2FA, especially if you use security questions as part of authentication. The answers to these questions can often be found on your social media and other accounts, and if they are, be assured hackers will find them. Always update 2FA immediately if account compromise is suspected.

Limit What You Share Online

Your PII (personally identifiable information) should remain with you and not be broadcast on social media and other sites. PII nuggets such as your address, where you live and work, schools you attended, LinkedIn profile, and info about family and friends are cobbled together by hackers to create an identity profile that helps them enter your accounts.

Hijacked PII is also used for socially engineered and spear-phishing email attacks. These methods use your PII for email phishing and target those you know, including co-workers, family, and friends. The emails use your identity as bait for the recipients who unquestioningly trust the email and its contents because they believe you are the sender.

For more helpful information about online security and other banking topics, stay tuned for more news articles. You can also get the latest news from Metrum Community Credit Union on our Facebook page.