On Tuesday, Home Depot began investigating a possible data breach involving customer debit and credit cards. This marks the sixth time in the past year that a major company’s systems have been compromised by hacking attacks. With more than one third of the American population affected by these security breaches, understanding how to minimize your risk where possible is crucial. Let's look at the top five ways you can increase your security online.
1. Create a strong password. Use upper and lower case letters, punctuation and at least one number in your password. Make it easy enough for you to remember but hard for a computer or another person to guess.
2. Use unique passwords for all accounts. Every account you use should have different, strong passwords. If you repeat passwords across accounts, a hacker only needs to get into one in order to access the rest. Don't make it easy for them.
3. Do not store passwords. Always type in your username and password and log out when you are finished working. Mindfulness and security go hand in hand. Additionally, do not write down passwords.
4. Do not store sensitive data. If you manage or own web properties, delete sensitive data unless it is mission critical. If you have to store sensitive data, be sure to encrypt it. Only allow access to this content over secure connections and, if possible, set up a network server with limited physical access. Practice safe computing: if you are storing sensitive data, limit the amount of access others have to your computing device.
5. Use the latest software. The Internet is dynamic and your content should be secure and updated to protect against the latest security threats. Your system administrator should understand and follow the industry's best practices in order to protect and manage your data.
Is your website secure? If you’re interested in a security review of your web properties, contact us today.
