Wednesday, June 18, 2008

How to safeguard our personal and financial data?


Personal data means the data which relate to a living individual who can identified and could be their name, address, medical details or banking details. How do we safeguard our personal and financial data? The following tips will help us to safeguard our personal and financial data.

First, we may use and maintain anti-virus software, a firewall, and anti-spyware software - Protect yourself against viruses and Trojan horses that may steal or modify the data on your own computer and leave our vulnerable by using anti-virus software and a firewall. We should make sure to keep your virus definitions up to date. Spyware or adware hidden in software programs may also give attackers access to your data, so use a legitimate anti-spyware program to scan your computer and remove any of these files.

Second, we must carry as a little information as possible. The more our lug around with you, the easier you make it for an opportunist to assume your identity. So try to limit the contents of your wallet to the bare necessities: one credit card, an ATM card and a driver's license. Whatever you do: Don't walk around with your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport unless it's absolutely necessary.

Third, do not reuse passwords. As tempting as it may be to reuse passwords, it is a really good practice to use a different password for every account we access online. This way, if someone does find out what our password is for one credit card, they won’t also be able to access our checking, brokerage and email accounts. It may take a little more organization to use different passwords for each site, but it can help marginalize the effects of unauthorized access to your accounts.

Fourth, we must always remember to turn off our computer
when it is not in used so it can reduce the chance for virus to access to the computer. Try to avoid using the public computers to conducting financial or other personal business in the public wireless network because the web page may be unsecured. Proceed to the transaction only when you have recognized the certificate for that particular website. Run antivirus software or run two antispyware programs because it is better to prevent virus access to the computer than cure it when it is discovered. In order to safeguard your personal information, always remember that never reply any e-mail which are request your passwords, user name or other important personal information.

No comments: