How to Keep Your Data Safe Online

There are risks associated with providing your confidential information online, but it’s necessary in a modern world that requires Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to create accounts, purchase goods online, complete your taxes or receive a paycheck.

Your data could become vulnerable through no fault of your own. Data breaches are common, and your account information could get leaked. If your data is intercepted by threat actors, it could be sold to cybercriminals on the dark web. 

These criminals can use stolen data to steal accounts, money, credit card information or even commit identity theft. If cybercriminals intercept your data, there can be serious consequences. 

You can keep your data safe online by using strong, unique passwords; enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA); encrypting confidential information and more. Read on to learn our eleven tips for protecting your data.

Steps to Keep Your Data Safe Online

Cybercriminals are more likely to target low-hanging fruit, such as people with weak passwords and bad cybersecurity practices. They are more vulnerable because they are easier to hack. Implementing best practices will go a long way toward securing your data and maintaining your peace of mind when using the internet.

Here are our eleven tips for keeping your data secure when conducting everyday online activities.

1. Use unique, complex passwords for every account – including your home WiFi network

Perhaps the most important tip of all is to use unique, strong passwords for every single one of your online accounts. This prevents cybercriminals from being successful with common password attacks. 

Credential stuffing, in which threat actors use credentials leaked in a data breach to try to log in to multiple services, only works on victims who reuse passwords. Brute force attacks, in which a threat actor tries to crack a password using bots, are more likely to succeed with short passwords or passwords that include dictionary words. More insidious attacks may target specific individuals and try using PII like birthdays and the names of loved ones when trying to crack their passwords – so this strategy will only work on people who don’t use random characters.

Some people with otherwise good password habits overlook their home WiFi network. The default network name and password for your WiFi make it easy for cybercriminals to guess your credentials. Changing the default will make your network more secure.

It’s a challenge to remember complex passwords that are unique for each of your dozens of accounts. We recommend using a password manager which stores your passwords in an encrypted vault accessible only with your master password – the only password you will need to remember.

2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Think of MFA as the backup if your unique, complex passwords are compromised. MFA requires a second method of authentication which is usually a code sent by SMS text, email or via an authenticator app. People also use hardware security keys as an MFA method. SMS and email codes are the weakest forms of MFA because a cybercriminal could theoretically get into these accounts as well, but they’re still better than no MFA at all.

3. Send sensitive information with encryption

When sensitive information such as tax documents, insurance cards and copies of government identification are sent over the internet, they should always be in an encrypted format. Email, for example, is not encrypted. Neither are SMS texts.

It’s best to use a platform with zero-knowledge encryption to send sensitive information online. Keeper Password Manager comes with a One-Time-Share feature that allows you to send encrypted confidential information to anyone, even if they don’t have an account with Keeper. You can also set a time limit for the recipient’s access and revoke access at any time.

4. Enable hard drive encryption on your computer

Every computer operating system, including Windows and Mac, can encrypt the hard drive on your computer. Some Macs even encrypt it automatically. Check the settings on your computer to ensure hard drive encryption is turned on – it takes just a few minutes and makes a big difference in your data security.

5. Avoid public WiFi

Public WiFi is fraught with risks, especially when you are dealing with sensitive data, because cybercriminals can access public WiFi networks, too. If you do things like log into your bank account while using public WiFi, a threat actor could intercept your credentials. If you must use public WiFi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

6. Use a VPN

While VPNs have pros and cons, a quality VPN will successfully encrypt your web traffic and hide your location. While it’s not necessary to use at all times, for example when you’re on your private home WiFi network that’s properly secured, it’s good extra protection if you are using a network or server where threat actors could be present. For example, if you are playing an online video game or using public WiFi, we recommend using a VPN.

7. Update your software right away

Software companies release security patches when vulnerabilities are discovered. However, you won’t be protected from known vulnerabilities until you download the updates to fix them. Download all software updates as soon as they become available.

8. Lock down your social media accounts and don’t overshare

Cybercriminals sometimes research a victim for months before targeting them, especially in cases of identity theft and harassment. Any PII or details about your life, such as your location, birthday or the names of your loved ones could be used by a cybercriminal to attack your accounts or steal your identity. 

Turn the privacy settings on for your social media accounts and don’t accept friend requests from strangers, as it could be a cybercriminal hoping to target you. It’s also important to not overshare, even to your followers. For example, sharing a photo from your current location could enable real-life harassment. Sharing PII could also give away the answers to security questions.

9. Use burner emails

Online shopping is extremely common and convenient, but most retailers will ask you to create an account. That means your email and other sensitive information is stored all over the internet, in dozens of accounts, any of which could experience a data breach at any time. 

Using a temporary email – often called a “burner” – when online shopping and in other situations where you need an account can make your digital footprint harder to trace in the event of a leak. Once you get your purchase in the mail, you can delete your burner.

10. Learn what modern scams look like

The number of scams has increased as more of our lives have moved online. Phishing, which has long been around, has become more sophisticated. Poor spelling is no longer a reliable tip-off to spot these attacks. Smishing is a similar and newer type of scam conducted through SMS text. Spoofing, a related scam, directs users to fake web pages where their credentials will be stolen if they enter them. 

This is just a preview – pay attention to reliable cybersecurity news sources to get word of the latest  techniques scammers are using to target everyday people.

11. Backup your computer

In the worst-case scenario, a cybercriminal may corrupt your device with malware or someone may physically steal it from you. Keeping a backup – experts recommend two, one in the cloud and one on a physical hard drive – will mean you still have access to your data. This is also a good idea in the event of other types of disasters, such as a fire or a storm.

It’s Simple to Keep Your Data Secure

While this may seem like a lot of advice, many of these steps are one-time actions that will protect you forever. Others are habits that will become natural over time. Once you get used to protecting your data online, you won’t even think about having to do it, but you will have peace of mind. Think of it this way – recovering your identity after identity theft is way more time-consuming and stressful than taking the appropriate steps to protect yourself beforehand.

The most important step you can take today is to give each of your accounts unique, complex passwords. Start a free 30-day trial of Keeper Password Manager today to make it quick and easy to generate, replace and securely store all your passwords.