The rising number of social media sites and e-commerce shopping has made personal data more vulnerable to theft than ever before. Over the years, cybercrime activities are growing at an unprecedented rate, which has made it quite a challenging task to protect valuable customer and business-related information.
The growth in technology and innovation has also made it possible for hackers to devise new ways of stealing enterprise-related data. Customers who care about the security and privacy of their data have started relying on online security mechanisms such as SSL certificates while navigating websites to safeguard their personal information. To secure the data users purchase SSL Certificate from SSL2BUY.
Why do Data Security and Privacy Matter?
Data is one of the most valuable assets for both individuals and organizations. Today, consumers want to restrict access to their personal information as much as possible due to the existence of online security threats.
An enormous amount of data is generated through IOT, location tracking, and other personally identifiable information used by companies to boost customer engagement. The data provides insights to businesses while enabling them to develop new products and services catering to their customers’ needs.
The growing adoption of digital technologies has created a revolution and opened up new possibilities in business. On the other hand, it has increased the enterprises’ responsibility to protect their customers’ vital data.
McKinsey’s survey reports comprising around 1,000 consumers based in North America revealed that customers were increasingly selective while sharing their personal information.
Furthermore, the respondents were most comfortable in providing necessary information to healthcare and financial institutions. This is due to the high-profile security breaches in big corporations, where 3.3 billion records were compromised in 2018.
How to avoid data breaches and improve your data security efforts?
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Choose your privacy settings
Most people have multiple social media accounts with a huge presence across various networks. However, it could come with its risks as there is a possibility of exposing your personal information to others in the process.
It’s important to carefully check your privacy settings and decide how much information you wish to share with others. Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram enable users to select their privacy settings and restrict access to your information to a selected group of friends and known people.
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Use HTTPS for improved security
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) can be useful for encrypting data transferred between the web server and browser to ensure personal information’s greater online security.
Thus, SSL certificates can prevent hackers from intercepting information and secure data transmission among intended recipients. It also offers an additional layer of security compared to a firewall and improves the websites’ trustworthiness. Online shoppers need to ensure that they always look out for SSL certificates on websites before making purchases to prevent misuse of their personal information.
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Make sure to have strong passwords
Hackers can target your email accounts by using several combinations of passwords, which can put your information at risk. Password managers may be used to create unique and strong passwords that hackers may not access so easily.
Use a different password for every account with 12 characters or more with a combination of alphanumeric numbers, special characters. Be creative when it comes to choosing passwords and never share them with others.
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Stay alert with fraudsters and scams
Never share your personal information with unknown people, especially when someone calls on behalf of your known bank or financial institution. It’s best to verify the person’s identity before sharing personal information, including credit card numbers or bank account numbers. It’s easy to become a victim of fraud or a scam by clicking on suspicious email links.
If a company tries to seek personal information, check out their website and contact their customer service number to check their claims. Always keep your browser secure and use encryption software to keep your information safe from intruders.
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Use end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
It’s best to use messaging apps that come with end-to-end encryption features to ensure all your communications remain safe and secure. Besides, they also help in maintaining privacy in conversations and prevent hackers from intercepting the information. Social messaging apps such as Whatsapp offer such a useful feature for its users. Make sure to set up notifications to prevent sensitive information from appearing on your screen.
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Secure mobile devices with passwords
There is plenty of data stored across computers and mobile devices, which may be vulnerable to hackers attacks. It’s best to secure them with passwords to keep private information safe and secure. Instead of using screen lock patterns, it may be best to use a PIN or six-digit passwords to protect personal data from misuse or theft.
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Restrict information sharing on websites
Most people tend to post their personal information across social media sites, proving to be troublesome if it falls into the wrong hands. Especially, hackers who might be on the lookout for such opportunities might gain access to personal accounts, which could be misused for other purposes. Thus, it’s best to limit sharing information to a small group of people and avoid sharing your details on social networking sites.
Conclusion
Protecting personal information is crucial as it can save enormous stress for individuals, which can otherwise lead to data breaches and financial loss in many cases. With the increase in social media networking, there is a greater possibility of losing crucial data and information. Install anti-virus software and firewall to reduce the chance of hackers attacking your network.
Avoid opening phishing emails as they might contain harmful viruses which can infect your computer and may be used to steal passwords and other vital account information. There are many excellent apps and security tools that might protect personal information and ensure key data privacy and security.