How to Protect Your Privacy Online

Data breaches are common occurrences these days, with personal information routinely stolen or misappropriated from social media, banks, retail outlets and other online sites. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which affected an estimated 87 million Facebook users to the data breach discovered by credit-reporting agency Equifax – which notified 143 million consumers in 2017 that their personal information (including Social Security Numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in some cases drivers’ license numbers) and, in a small number of cases, credit card information exposed – we are witnessing with distressing regularity the insecurity of private, confidential information.

The general rule is to treat your online privacy as you would your money with the highest level of security to ensure your information does not fall into the wrong hands. Here are some tips to strengthen the safety and security of your online accounts to avoid being the victim of a data breach.

Nothing is Truly Deleted

Every time you’re online, you are leaving a trail of activity. From websites you search for information, online shopping sites to social media posts, including photos and videos, your information is being stored. Even when you delete a social media post or photo, chances are that it’s still living somewhere online. As a general rule of thumb, don’t post anything that you are even remotely uncomfortable with and would not want your parents, spouse, children or boss to see.

Understand What You Agree To

When interacting with any Website, it is likely you tacitly agree to the site’s Terms and Conditions and/or Privacy Policy even if you never bothered to read it! If you actually subscribe or join a Website or download an app, you almost certainly agree to accept the site’s Terms and Conditions and/or Privacy Policy. Don’t just click the “I Agree” box and hit “Submit.” If you are concerned about sharing your personal information online, be sure to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy carefully. Even consider contacting the website if you have additional questions about how your personal information is used and stored.

Be Wary of Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are conducted through your email address. What may look like an official email from your bank, credit card provider, IRS or a Nigerian prince — could actually be a scam to get you to share your personal information including bank account numbers with an unknown third-party. This third-party could then steal your information and use it for identify theft or to drain your bank account. Some links don’t even ask you to submit any information, but they install malware on your computer which then can access your personal data. Never open any email that looks suspicious, and never provide your personal information if you are unsure what it will be used for.

Opt Out of Purchase Tracking

You probably noticed that items you search for online suddenly pop up as ads in your social media accounts. This is a tracking system used for remarketing and advertising purposes to encourage potential shoppers to take the plunge and buy the product. If you don’t want this information to be tracked, you can opt out when prompted on a website. For example, ‘disagree’ to allow cookies to be used when visiting a website.

Be Cautious on Public Wi-Fi

Be very careful when checking your bank account or typing in a credit card number on your computer or mobile device when you are connected to public Wi-Fi. Since these connections are often unsecure, you are opening yourself up to hackers who can steal your information. If you have to perform a transaction when out in public, add VPN security software, which can protect your information with anonymous browsing.

Choose Passwords Wisely

Many online sites will enforce a strict password policy, i.e. including one capital letter, one number, one special character, and determining the length of the password. Take care to do this, but never use the same password for more than one site. If one password is compromised, your other online activity is protected.

Adjust Social Media Privacy Settings

Determine how to access your privacy settings on your various social media accounts and lock them up. Never allow your profile to be public; this means literally anyone anywhere can see your posts, photos, and videos and who knows how they could use them for their own purposes. Criminals stalk social media pages for oversharing, such as going out of town on vacation or large purchases that can be exploited. There have even been stories of stolen photos unknowingly becoming a part of advertising campaigns overseas due to broad access to their photos via social media.

Delete Personal Information Properly

When you’re getting rid of an old computer, smartphone, tablet, or other devices, be sure to wipe out the content stored on it completely. This information can be found in the manual for your device so you can be sure you are permanently deleting your private information before disposing of the device.

Have Multiple Email Addresses

Since most email addresses are free to use, designate a few of them for different activities. So, consider having one email address for online shopping, another for work, and another for personal use. This way, if one email is hacked or compromised, your other accounts will still be safe.

According to the United States Department of Justice most recent study, 17.6 million people in the US experience some form of identity theft each year and victims experienced a combined average loss of $1,343 (a total of $15.4 billion in 2014). An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Try New Technology

New technology is responding to demand for greater control and protection over information shared and stored online. Envilope, billing itself as the world’s first blockchain postal service, is offering a cloud-based solution whereby users can secure an email, digital file, or message containing images, audio, video, or text ‘anything that can be sent online.

Envilope gives senders unprecedented privacy and control over their content, including who views it, when, and where. Only the intended recipient can open an Envilope, and only after accepting the sender’s terms and conditions. If a user ever suspects a breach or regrets a message previously sent, he or she can vaporize the content with a click, regardless of how many times it has been shared or forwarded and fully restore that vaporized content at a later date. For highly regulated industries where privacy and confidentiality are of paramount importance, like finance, legal, healthcare and government, Envilope offers a robust cloud-based solution using the power of blockchain technology for individuals and companies who want total control of their information and how it is seen, stored and shared.

Envilope’s system offers HIPAA-compliant forced TLS email delivery, object level 2 Factor Authentication (2FA), sharded and encrypted GDPR-compliant storage, decentralized peer-to-peer communications, a file distribution mechanism that encrypts files offline with asymmetric encryption, IP address lockdown, unusual activity monitoring, hardware authentication, and more.

Use a VPN

Another way to protect your privacy online is with a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN app can make traffic from your phone or computer to a website you visit appear to come from a server operated by the VPN provider, rather than directly from your device. Some VPN apps also encrypt the data sent between your device and the VPN server, proving an additional layer of security.

A Proxy Server is an intermediary that sits between a network and the outside internet. When you go to a web address in your browser, your request goes to the proxy server, which downloads the page, then sends it to your computer. Many networks do this because the proxy server acts as a safety buffer for web traffic.

Final Advice

Be aware of what you’re doing online and always connect with care. Taking some extra time to secure your online presence will help ensure that your personal information stays private.