5 Things to Do to Protect Your Identity Online

Although an inevitable need of the modern world, the internet has its vicious ways of entangling you in its web. The internet is teeming with things to explore, things that are tempting as well as easy to get into, but difficult to get out of. Keeping yourself from getting used and abused in your virtual explorations is necessary. Here are 5 things to do to protect your identity online.

1. Don’t ‘over inform’ people on social networking sites

Limit the amount of information you share on social networking sites. Just as there are people on the internet looking to be friends with you, so also are there others who have other kinds of malicious intent. Fill in only the basic, mandatory information you need to give while making an account in any of the social networking sites. Also, always hide the primary email ID you are using for Facebook, Twitter or any other site. Hiding the email ID you are using for that particular site will definitely make the hacker’s job much more difficult. Provide a secondary email ID in its place if necessary.

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2. Keep your passwords strong

The strength of the password may not seem so important while creating one, but nonetheless they help a great extent in securing your account. Long and complicated passwords cannot be easily hacked. Always create your passwords with a combination of letters and numbers. Throw in some uppercase letters with some lowercase letters or vice-versa. People mostly tend to keep passwords according to their birthdays, anniversaries, their children’s names, or simply use the word “password” for easy recollection. But those kinds of passwords are also easy to crack. So though it may be a pain to remember the passwords, it’s better to go for the more complex ones for security sake.

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3. Use multiple passwords

Never make the mistake of using one password to access all your accounts. Once the hacker gets access to one of your accounts, he gets access to them all. Also, do not link your various accounts with one another. It will open a free gateway for the hacker, which they will gladly use. A simple solution to keep all your passwords at hand is to use software like Lastpass or 1Password that act like a master key to all your passwords.

4. Detect spam mails

Spam mails posing to be your bank or some big company have become increasingly common. Try to identify suspicious mails. Don’t click on random links or open mails from strangers. Immediately discard anything in a mail, like their source or unusual request or offer that may seem off to you. Never give out your account details and passwords even if you receive an email from your bank. You bank will never ask for your personal details in that way. If you receive any such mail, then always cross check directly with your bank or go to their official site for verification.

5. Ward off hackers with firewalls

Firewalls are a good option to keep hackers at bay. Firewalls detect any malicious content and immediately create a protective wall before anyone can penetrate the private materials in your computer.