13 Jan Protect Your Assets
Everybody wants to protect their assets. Individuals buy home insurance to protect their assets, car insurance to protect their automobiles, and other insurance policies to protect pretty much anything that could be lost or damaged. Similarly, companies ranging from financial institutions to restaurants and everything in between spend huge sums of money on risk management to protect their brands. But through all the insurance and risk management, there are still many areas in which safety and security are unfortunately neglected. Some areas of life can’t be protected through insurance or policies. One of the most important places to understand safety measures and exercise precaution is online. Follow these simple tips to help make sure your identity and online accounts remain secure.
Make sure all passwords are strong. The more capital letters, numbers, and symbols you can include, the stronger the password. Additionally, try to avoid using the same password for all online accounts in case one of them gets compromised. Also be sure that you avoid phishing scams, which use fraudulent email accounts or websites to lure users into divulging private account information. Avoid clicking unfamiliar links embedded in emails; instead, open a new browser and access the site directly.
Perhaps the most important time to be cautious online is while shopping. Make sure that the checkout screen starts with https before you go through with the transaction, and look for a small locked padlock in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Doing a little research about the security of an online vendor before purchasing is also always a good idea.
It is important to remember that just because you have a secure computer doesn’t mean that everybody else does. Never send important information like social security or credit card numbers in an email or instant message. If another computer is compromised, the information you send can be obtained through somebody else’s computer.
Finally, consider investing in some sort of computer security software. There are many different companies that specialize in such software, so do a bit of research to find the one that is right for you.
Remember above all when using the internet to use your best judgment. If something seems fishy, then it probably is. While there’s no real insurance policy for protecting your online information, you can take steps to ensure that all your assets and information are secure.
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