Don't let hackers get their hands on your personal details
While many people are giving up smoking, getting fitter, clearing their debts, etc, my New Year’s resolution is to try to be better organised and declutter.
One resolution I don’t think we hear much about though is doing more to make sure we’re safe online. It shouldn’t be overlooked as it’s hugely important. Use a weak password or forget antivirus and you could find yourself in a whole heap of financial pickle, not to mention face a huge time-wasting hassle.
If you’ve been given a tablet or laptop for Christmas or grabbed a bargain in the January Sales, making sure it’s fully protected should be a priority.
Our 30 Ways to Stop Scams guide should get you up to date on the latest scams doing the rounds. As it can be a long month, if you’re short on cash at the moment, at the least get free anti-virus sorted.
If you’re an MSE Forum user, as with any form of social media, always use the latest version of your internet browser and make sure your password is strong enough, difficult enough it can’t be guessed and change it regularly.
We’ve been working with the Home Office’s CyberStreetwise campaign for over a year now to highlight online security issues that people can sometimes forget. We held a Twitter Q&A using the #becyberstreetwise hashtag just before Christmas to do just that and the team is answering questions on our forum too: New Year’s Resolutions: Stay Safe online, Stay Cyberstreetwise.
Read the questions below and click through to the #becyberstreetwise hashtag to see the full Q&A.
Q: @MSE_Forum: How important is it to protect your home wi-fi?
A: @cyberstreetwise: It’s extremely important, take a look at our tips on how to secure your wi-fi.
Q: @MSE_Forum: Is it OK to download apps from individual websites?
A: @cyberstreetwise: We would recommend only downloading from the official app store for your device, if not sure of validity, don’t download!
Q: @MSE_Forum: Is all public wi-fi encrypted?
A: @cyberstreetwise: Not all public wi-fi is encrypted, take a look at our advice on wireless networks here.
Q: @MSE_Forum: How often should you update your software to stay safe?
A: @cyberstreetwise: Always download & install software updates immediately when they appear. Remember to also check for updates manually.
Do you have any tips on how to stay safe online? Please let us know your thoughts in the discussion below or in the forum.
