Daniel Konicek Staff Writer
The recent news of the “Heartbleed” security bug is only part of the growing issue of data security. In the age of the Internet, more and more information is being stored on servers and devices across the world, and those that seek to access it are growing in number. Hackers, phishers, and even the NSA are all taking a peek at one’s activity on the Internet. The more knowledge one has about how to manage their online persona, however, the more protected one can be.
The most basic thing one can do to protect their identity is to be aware of who they are sharing information with. “Phishing” is when third parties impersonate a business to obtain passwords or usernames. People should understand that while their banking website might be very secure, their email may not be.
If a phisher obtains something as seemingly safe as a maiden name or a birthday, they could be able to use it to worm their way into an account that they can recover something truly precious from.
Identifying phishers and spam is only the surface of protecting an internet identity. There are dozens of different methods and programs one can use to simply squat in the background of a computer, spying on the keystrokes you input to log in to various accounts. Avoiding these programs is a matter of avoiding dangerous websites and downloads that may contain these dangerous files. Windows computers are in particular vulnerable to these programs, so having an up-to-date anti-virus program is essential. Do not, however, waste money on an anti-virus programs. Many good ones, such as Microsoft Security Essentials or Malwarebytes, are free.
One must also understand that any personal info is also up for grabs. For almost every person there is a collection of their tastes, preferences, search history and pictures for use by companies seeking to target their advertising. Being aware that what you are placing online is a matter of security and personal comfort, even when sharing via facebook, twitter, or other social media.
Even with the danger present, the internet is still going to be a massive part of modern life and business, and smart navigation of it is not too difficult with a little mindfulness.
