Habits to Keep Your Digital-self Safe

Habits to Keep Your Digital-self Safe

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Sep 11, 2015

Isn’t it crazy how we get so comfortable with our daily routines that they just come naturally, particularly with our online habits? We tend to share with our networks on a regular basis, but you might not realize just how much you’re actually sharing with complete strangers.

Have you ever posted awesome vacation pics on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using public Wi-Fi? I’m guilty! There are just some pics that just can’t wait, right? Well, public Wi-Fi is a major hazard because all the information that you’re transferring is available to everyone on a public Wi-Fi network. Yikes!  Think about it. Others can listen to your private convos, get access to passwords, and even gain control of your online accounts.

Here are 8 habits that you need to ditch and 1 habit you need to incorporate into your daily routine to keep your digital-self safe:

  1. Do not send sensitive information over public Wi-Fi. If you wouldn’t physically say something in public, then don’t say it publically on digital either. While it’s fun to work from coffee shops sometimes, avoid accessing private financial information or sharing personal details in emails or social media.

  2. Never connect to strange Wi-Fi networks. Just like texting while driving, it can wait. There’s nothing so important that you have to say that would justify you logging onto a Wi-Fi network that you don’t know.

  3. Never EVER share your phone number. While this is fairly explanatory, I still see people posting their phone numbers on their Facebook feed. Not a smart idea.

  4. Don’t share social or vacation plans on social media. I’m SO guilty of this one, but when you think about it, it’s not too smart in terms of home and personal safety. You’re broadcasting where you’ll be at a certain time which could be dangerous to your personal safety and at the same time, you’re sharing when you won’t be at home, which could be an enticing invite for burglars.

  5. Don’t post every detail to every social network. It’s pretty cool for those of you who have all your networks synced up so that when you post an update on one social platform, it automatically goes out to all of them. If one of those networks gets compromised, a hacker could post to all of your social media accounts.

  6. Never publicly share photos of kids with their real names. There’s a reason Jane Doe is used so much. Savvy parents are referring to their children with a unique hashtag or nickname that only family and friends know to protect their identity while still sharing fun photos of their pride and joy. This helps to prevent people from “googling” children’s names so that they can start a web presence when age appropriate as opposed to “googling” their name only to find hundreds of embarrassing baby photos posted years ago!

  7. Don’t share private, identifiable info on social media. It’s fun talking about your furkid online, but if you’ve also used their name as a password or as the answer to a security question for online accounts, not smart to share his/her name with the world.

  8. Never EVER eVeR EvEr share passwords. When it comes to email, banking, Facebook, Twitter, etc., there’s never a good reason to share your passwords. However, if you absolutely must share a password to an important account, set a reminder to immediately change the password after it is used.

  9. Turn on two-factor authentication. This is the easiest way to help lessen the chances of your online accounts from getting hacked. When you log into one of your accounts from a new or unrecognized device, the two-factor authentication service sends you an email or text message with a code to input in addition to your password. It’s like having a double lock, each with a unique key on your accounts!

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.