Even if you consider yourself pretty internet-savvy, you might not be as careful as you could be. So much of our lives happens online now that it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself and your data. Here are some of the most common bad online habits and some tips on how to break them.
- Using the Same Password Across Multiple Sites
This may be the most common bad online habit anywhere. When nearly every site requires a login and password, it’s tough to remember separate credentials for everything. This is what password managers were invented for. Using these apps, you only have to remember one password and they do the rest for you. If you don’t use a password manager, make sure to change all your passwords on all your sites three or four times a year. Remember that your email and social media accounts are the most vulnerable to breaches, so make sure you always use a separate password for critical things like financial sites or medical accounts that might include your personal data.
- Oversharing on Social Media
We’re so plugged in these days, it can be tempting to document every aspect of our lives. But oversharing can leave you vulnerable. If your profile is public, anyone can see all the pictures of you and your family, potentially learning sensitive details like where you live or work, or where your kids go to school. Everyone loves posting vacation shots, but while they show your friends and family what a great time you’re having, they also show thieves that you’re not home. Think twice about what you post and make sure your privacy settings are set at the right level for you. Make use of the option to post things only to specific sets of friends or followers, so only your intended audience gets your message.
- Autofill
Autofill is one of those conveniences that has made us a little too complacent. Yes, it makes filling in forms faster and easier, but it also leaves your personal information vulnerable. When your browser remembers everything from your name and address to your passwords and credit card numbers, anyone else who gets their hands on your computer immediately has access to all of that, too. Just think, if your laptop or tablet were stolen, you could be at risk of having your identity stolen and your bank account drained, all for the sake of saving yourself a little effort. Taking the time to type things in yourself is infinitely better than having to fight your way out of identity theft.
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