Privacy policies are the Internet’s equivalents of fine print: They often contain many important details that nonetheless usually go unnoticed. Any time a company notifies you of an update to its policy, be sure to read it, since it might explain how your data is collected and shared with third parties. You can then adjust […]

It’s a common scam technique by which a person is duped into revealing personal or confidential information that the scammer can use illicitly or fraudulently.

Malware, short for “malicious software,” includes any software (such as a virus, Trojan, or spyware) that is installed on your computer or mobile device. The software is then used, usually covertly, to compromise the integrity of your device. Most commonly, malware is designed to give attackers access to your infected computer. That access may allow […]

Social networks are vast, eminently searchable data repositories. As such, it’s usually a bad idea to post any personally identifiable information on them because you don’t know who might see it. Don’t ever share your address, birthday or Social Security number in any online public forum, whether Twitter or a message board.

Be aware that when you post a picture or message online, you may also be inadvertently sharing personal details with strangers about yourself and family members – like where you live. Post only about others, as you would like to have them post about you: the golden rule applies online as well.

Losing your computer can be as bad as losing your wallet or purse, since it probably contains a lot of extractable personal information, including financial details. Disk encryption eliminates this risk by making all data on your hard drive inaccessible to anyone without a specific key (password). Use FileVault on macOS or BitLocker on Windows […]