Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs Provides Tips on Cyber Security

NASHVILLE - Technology tends to make life more convenient. Through the Internet, you can make travel arrangements, modify investment portfolios and secure loans. Products and services from around the globe are only a click away. Unfortunately, the same can be said for hackers and identity thieves.

• Keep your anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewalls current. Your security settings and software are critical to keeping computer hackers from gaining access to your computer.
• Don’t save personal information including resumes or financial records on your hard drive. Save them to a disk or thumb drive. Ask yourself what a hacker could find out about you if they accessed your stored documents.
• Use passwords or answers to security questions that only you would know. A little research on the Internet can help thieves find the answers to common security questions such as your mother’s maiden name. Make up an answer that only you would know.
• Know whom you’re dealing with. Don’t click on links that are listed in an email to you. Use the web addresses and contact information that you normally would. Thieves often send fraudulent emails known as “spam” in an attempt to gain your personal information.
• Be cautious shopping online. Fraudulent sites do exist for the simple purpose of collecting your information. Make sure you can physically locate the business if you experience a problem and that they have a secure website.