Cyber Security Tip #25

Cyber Security Tip #25: Managing Your Digital Footprint Once information is online, sometimes it can be impossible to remove. Therefore you should be conscientious of your visible online presence known as your digital footprint, as criminals and fraudsters may utilize this information against you in various ways. Here are some recommendation for “mapping your digital footprint.” Look at all the social networking sites and forums that you belong to and search what information about you is available. Clean up your digital footprint. Remove any photos, content and links that may be inappropriate or reveal too much information. Be selective about who you authorize to access your information. Use the privacy features of your browser and of the various websites you frequent to reduce the visibility of your information. Since many comments on public websites can be publicly seen, monitor and moderate comments associated with you to maintain a positive digital footprint. Consider using the “block comments” features or setting your social networking profile to “private” so only designated individuals can view it. Always think before you post. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #20

Stranger Danger Parents are constantly reminded about teaching their kids to protect themselves against online strangers, but these individuals can pose just as great a threat to adults. When interacting with people online in any environment, you should exercise extreme caution. Especially if someone begins asking for personal information or attempts a sales pitch. Online harassment and abuse can also be a serious problem for both kids and adults. If someone you talk to online is becomes abusive or harasses you, immediately drop contact before things escalate. Be careful whom you befriend online — not everyone is friendly or forthcoming on the Internet. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #10

Five Ways to Keep Your Facebook Account Secure With social media sites like Facebook, hackers and crocks are finding it easier to not only find information about you but also using that information to bully you online. The news recently reported that military families are getting bullied by ISIS now on Facebook. They are being contacted and threaten with death. Here are some simple ways you can secure your Facebook account and avoid being bulled and hopefully avoid getting hacked. • Pick a strong password and never share it with anyone else. Use a combination of at least six numbers, letters, and punctuation marks (like ! and &). • Use Facebook’s extra security features such as setting up a one-time password to log into your account anytime you feel uncomfortable entering your real password on Facebook (ex: in a library or internet cafe). • Do not accept all Friend Requests. Not every Friend Request is legitimate. Keep your list of accepted friends and family close as you would in the non-digital world. • Be sure to watch what you place on your Wall. The Wall is exactly that, a wall such as the bulletin board at work or in school. When you make postings to your wall, the post is placed prominently on your Facebook site and also copied to all your friends and family as an update of what you are doing • Set up login notifications. Facebook can send you an alert every time someone accesses your account from an unknown computer or other device, enabling you to receive a warning that someone has gained unauthorized access to your account. ‪#‎NCSAM‬

Cyber Security Tip #9

Social Media Postings Can Reveal More Information Than You Think Security experts and privacy advocates have been warning for the past couple of years about the potential dangers of geotags, which are embedded in photos and videos taken with GPS-equipped smartphones and digital cameras. Geotags are not visible to the casual viewer, and many people may not realize they are there; however these hidden tags can often contain information that could be used to identify you or the places you visit frequently. Never post unflattering or embarrassing pictures (no matter how funny) that could come back to haunt you. Remember anything you post online is there forever! Carefully examine photos for identifying information such as the name of your school, the name of a sports team or organization you belong to, the address of the place you work or your favorite social hangout. Do not give out the full name of an individual in a photo captions. Remember pictures can also be copied or altered and used on other websites in ways that might be detrimental to your reputation. Another important tip is to never advertise that you are away from home! When you post that you’re on vacation, or when you “check in” to your favorite meeting place on social media sites that tells others not only where you are, but also that you’re not home. Your friends aren’t the only ones who’d like to know where you are. Thieves and stalkers do too. ‪#‎NCSAM‬