Check the URL to see if you’re on a reputable and secure site.īe sure to install and use security software that includes malware and virus protection. Tip: Cybercriminals build websites that may look real, but they’re designed to steal your personal information. Those are the ones that begin with The “s” is key, and it’s especially important when entering credit card or other personal information. Tip: Some measures to consider to help secure your smartphone: creating a strong PIN using a fingerprint or face scan, if available, to lock your device updating your apps and operating systems frequently. You wouldn’t want to give a criminal easy access to it on your unprotected phone. After all, you’ve got a lot of personal information stored on it. In general, use a credit card for online buys. Tip: Credit cards offer stronger protection against financial fraud than debit cards. Do you think your information was stolen in a data breach? It’s a good idea to let them know. If you see suspicious activity on your credit report or in your bank statements, contact the financial institution involved immediately. Tip: You’re entitled by law to a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every 12 months. Your credit reports can show if an identity thief has tried to open a new credit card or borrow money in your name. It may make sense for you to sign up for them. Tip: A lot of companies offer activity alerts via text or email. That’s why it’s smart to check your accounts on a regular basis for unfamiliar activity. If cybercriminals have your personal information, they may be able to access things like your existing accounts. Tip: If you need help remembering your passwords, consider a product like Norton Password Manager to simplify the task. Give each of your online accounts a password that’s unique and complex - a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that wouldn’t be easy to guess. Remember to use strong, secure passwords. That’s when someone uses your personal information - like you Social Security number or bank account information - to commit crimes in your name. 9 tips to help protect yourself after a privacy breachĪ privacy breach could increase your risk of identity theft. Even so, there are things you can do to help protect yourself. The security of your information is in someone else’s hands. They can use it to commit crimes like identity theft or sell it on the dark web.Īnother similarity between privacy breaches and data breaches? There’s not much you can do to prevent them. That’s why cybercriminals often target organizations where they can harvest personal data. That includes government agencies, health care organizations, financial institutions, social network platforms, computer-app makers, and many other places. Privacy relates to any rights you have to control your personal information and how that information is used. So, where’s the difference? Maybe what sets a privacy breach and a data breach apart is that the word privacy sounds, well, more personal - and it is. That data may include personally identifiable information such as your name, address, Social Security number, and credit card details. It starts with a security breach - penetrating a protected computer network - and ends with the exposure or theft of data. A privacy breach occurs when someone accesses information without permission.
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