Having an unsecured computer can leave you extremely vulnerable to identity theives. The data on your computer can be a literal treasurte trove of information. The introduction and evolution of the internet has made it that much easier for identity theft to be committed by way of computer. Here are some ways to improve the security of your computer, especially when you go online.
Do not open files sent to you by strangers, click on hyperlinks, or download programs from people or companies you don’t know. Be cautious about using file-sharing programs. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program known as “spyware,” which could capture your passwords or any other information as you type it into your keyboard.
Update your virus protection software regularly; install patches for your operating system and other software programs to protect against intrusions and infections that can lead to the compromise of your computer files or passwords. Ideally, you should set your virus protection software to update automatically. The Windows XP operating system also can be set to check for patches automatically and download them to your computer.
If you need to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for secure). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some fraudulent sites have forged security icons.
You should also make sure that trusted users of your computer are practicing identity theft prevention as well. Children should protect themselves from identity theft by never using their real name in an email account and limiting personal details on social networking sites. Being that children are often prime targets of internet predators, it is very important to protect the contents of your computer to prevent identity theft and ensure their safety.
Try not to store financial information on your laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use what experts call a “strong” password: a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols. A good way to create a strong password is to think of a memorable phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password, converting some letters into numbers. For example, “I love Felix; he’s a good cat,” would become 1LFHA6c. Don’t use an automatic log-in feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you’re finished. If your laptop is stolen, it makes it harder for a thief to access your personal information.
If you replace your computer, delete all the personal information it stored. Deleting files using the keyboard or mouse commands or reformatting your hard drive may not be enough because the files may stay on the computer’s hard drive, where they may be retrieved easily. Use a “wipe” utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive.
