With the advancement of technology, there is hardly anything we can’t do using a personal device, whether it be a smartphone or a computer. Online banking, shopping, working and even healthcare are all conveniences now made available by the advancement of technology.
While these conveniences save time and enhance life experiences, they can also be a way for cybercriminals to gain information to use and cause an insurmountable amount of loss and damage. That’s why knowing five good reasons to invest in personal cybersecurity affordably will help protect yourself from this devastation.
1. Fend Off Identity Theft
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is information, such as numbers or records, that unequivocally identifies a person in financial transactions. This type of information, alone or combined, can never be duplicated from person to person. Here are examples of information that uniquely identifies you:
- Name
- Address
- E-mail address
- Telephone number
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license number
- Financial or medical records
- Biometrics or genetics
- Criminal history
- Mother’s maiden name
- Bank account numbers
- Passports
- Date and place of birth
Yes, you can have the same name, date and place of birth or mother’s maiden name as someone else, but combining those with non-duplicable information, such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers or genetics, makes it all uniquely associated with you and no one else. Therefore, if a criminal has access to your identifiers, they have been successful in stealing your identity.
2. Prevent Financial Fraud
Once a cybercriminal steals your identity, the criminal can conduct financial transactions, such as signing up for credit cards or loans in your name and accumulating bills you will have to pay. The cybercriminal will also be able to access your bank account.
However, if identity theft does occur, fraudulent financial activity can be stopped as soon you receive alerts from a service like LifeLock. The identity theft protection provider has teamed up with Norton to provide top-tier protection to its customers. Take advantage of the LifeLock discount code to ease your mind about identity theft.
3. Protect Your Family and Friends From Scams
To protect your family and friends from scams, avoid sharing too much personal information online. Sharing too much will help a cybercriminal pose as you to your family and friends to scam money or your personal identifying information from them. Some examples of personal information that you may not want to share are:
- Race
- Ethnic origin
- Political opinions
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Lifestyle preferences
- Sex life or sexual orientation
4. Secure Against Device Impersonation and Invasion
Other information that you should not share is technical information regarding your devices. Examples of the types of information that you shouldn’t share are:
- Device ID
- IP address
- Session cookie information
- Browser type
- Plug-in details
Passwords and session cookie information can help cyber criminals access websites you visit, possibly accessing personal identifying information. In addition, device IDs can help hackers pose as your device on websites and apps.
If cybercriminals have the IP address of your device, they can insert themselves onto your device and access personal identifying information, personal information or insert damaging malicious software.
5. Protect Business or Workplace Interests
Now that remote work has become prominent in society, another reason to invest in personal cybersecurity is to protect business or workplace interests. It’s essential to protect intellectual property and industry information data from landing in the wrong hands.
Cybersecurity Should Concern Personal Device Users
Cybersecurity doesn’t only apply to business devices. Cybersecurity should also concern personal device users because these five reasons listed above should convince you that the costs of not protecting your identity and financial well-being far outweigh prevention costs.
