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Keeping your data safe as it passes through these devices and networks can be a challenge. You need to do everything you can to keep your data safe from prying eyes.
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Keeping data secure today is more complex than ever before because we have so many devices using and sharing our data. Back in 2012, additional IP addresses—unique identifiers of an internet connected device—had to be made because the existing 4 billion addresses were about to be used up. Even ten years ago, you probably accessed the internet through one or two connections on just a couple networks. Today, you might access the internet on your phone, tablet, TV, laptop, work computer (just to name a few ways) on any number of wired and wireless networks.
Keeping your data safe as it passes through these devices and networks can be a challenge. You need to do everything you can to keep your data safe from prying eyes.
The tips in this e–guide will help you make
sure your private data stays private.
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When you’re out around town and you see a public Wi–Fi connection it’s tempting to use it to connect to the internet—but think twice before you do it. Using public Wi–Fi is like walking down a dark alley at night. There may be someone hiding behind every corner waiting to steal what’s yours.
Among other things, hackers can intercept log–in credentials and credit card information you enter in online while connected to the network. Although HTTPS encryption goes a long way toward keeping your data secure over a public network (more on that later), it’s wise to err on the side of caution and stay away from online shopping, banking, or conducting sensitive business transactions while on public Wi–Fi.
Avoid Public Wi–Fi
“Using public Wi–Fi is like walking down a dark alley at night.”
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Passwords often feel like a hassle, but they are an inexpensive way to keep your data secure. They mean you don’t need to use things like fingerprint ID sensors, retinal scanners, or special key cards every time you want to log into something.
Use Strong Passwords
Be careful, though, because there’s a big difference
between a strong password and a weak one.
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Avoid dictionary words, proper nouns, and foreign words. Hackers can use programs that will try every word combination imaginable. Make sure your password won’t be on one of those lists. Because their programs will also often try common rearrangements of words, it is important to avoid the practice of just rearranging letters (i.e. “password” backwards as “drowssap”).
Don’t include any personal information. Including personal information in your password will make it easier to remember, but it will also make it easier to guess. Keep out numbers like your address and phone number, and leave out the names of family members and pets, too.
Password Don’ts
drowssap
Choose a stronger password.X
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Make a long password. Simply put, the longer your password, the more difficult it will be for a hacker to crack. You should make sure that your password is at least 6-9 characters in length.
Include different kinds of characters. Look around your keyboard and check out all the different options you have that are not letters. Don’t let the lower case letters have all the fun—get other kinds of characters in your password, too. Including capital letters, numbers, and symbols like “at” signs and ampersands will make your password more difficult to crack.
Try not to use real words. Mnemonic phrases make great passwords because they can be easy to remember, but are difficult to guess. An example of this would be thinking of a phrase like “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” and building a password around the first letters. A strong password using this method might look like “DcyCBth83&.”
Password Dos
DcyCBth83&
Strong password.
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Having a strong password doesn’t mean anything if your account has weak security questions. Many email providers—including Yahoo and Google—require you to set up security questions when you sign up for your account. If you forget your password you can answer the questions to gain access to your account. If your security questions are easy to guess, all that creative password work may be for naught.
One way to write good security questions is to provide nonsensical answers. You could answer the question, “What was your first car?” with “periwinkle” for instance. Make sure your security questions are actually secure!
Set Stronger Security Questions
Question: What was your first car?
Answer: periwinkle
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This one is less technical and more common sense, but you’d be surprised how many times people break this rule. When you are finished using a computer—whether at the library, at work, or somewhere else—log out of everything.
It doesn’t take a hacker to notice that you didn’t log out of your bank account, email, or other sensitive account. Remember that even if someone only gains access to your email, they will have the power to reset many of your other passwords.
Remember to Log Out
LOGOUT
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There are many ways to use encryption. One simple one to keep your eye out for web addresses that begin with “HTTPS” instead of just “HTTP.” HTTPS is the result of layering the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) on top of the SSL/TLS protocol, which adds the security capabilities of SSL/TLS to HTTP communications.
When you see an address that starts with “HTTPS,” data you send across it will be much more secure and more difficult for it to fall into the wrong hands.
Encrypt Your Data
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When someone receives an email, that message may sit in that inbox until the end of time (or until the email account is deleted). Once you email someone sensitive information, you are essentially trusting that person to guard your data for an indefinite amount of time. With all the phishing schemes out there (and other ways for hackers to gain access to email accounts), are you ready to trust other people to store your sensitive information?
Don’t Use Email to Send Sensitive Information
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Store Data in a Secure Digital Location
Any time you put
any sensitive information
somewhere on the web, make sure you understand
the security measures taken by the organization
storing your data. Look for encrypted data servers to
help keep your private data away from hackers.
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Here’s a list of questions you should ask your cloud services providers:
Do they disclose information about their hosting partner(s). For example, did they grow their own data center, or are they using professional hosting services?
What assurances can the cloud hosting partner/provider around secure data handling, storage and if relevant transmission processes?
Are all files stored encrypted. Are they encrypted before or after transfer to server?
Do they have a code/review/publish process?
What kind of physical security does my cloud–hosting partner maintain?
Do they have customer references that you can speak with?
Vet Your Online Tools
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About Cureo: Cureo is a web-based collaboration platform that creates instant, secure, social company intranets and client extranets for organizations looking to productively engage their constituents to reduce reliance on email, advance commerce and get things done.
Sources: http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/simplest-security-guide-better-password-practices
Use secure tools for your workplace collaboration. Cureo’s combined intranet and extranet platform allow you to take your collaboration and communication away from email inboxes and unsecure cloud tools to a double encrypted environment. Your data is stored on an encrypted platform and receives an additional encryption key specific to your organization. This double encryption helps keep your data safe from prying eyes.
Collaborate Securely
