It's now 2018 and the onus is on you to protect your personal data and devices. 28th January, known as Data Privacy Day (also known as...Sunday) is recognized worldwide. On this day, parents and guardians are encouraged to educate their children on how to act online in a safe manner in order to protect themselves and their personal data. And for our business, Data Privacy Day is also a reminder that we continue to create and handle more valuable data than ever and this need protection from both internal and external threats.

You can better protect your data privacy on a daily basis by following some of these basic tips: (these links are all safe...so go ahead!)

  • Lock down your login: Use strong passwords and the strongest authentication tools available to protect your online accounts and personal information. Add an extra layer of protection by enabling two-factor verification on your accounts whenever the option is available
  • Look for the S in HTTPS: The 'S' at the end of Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) stands for 'Secure'. It means all communications between your web browser and a website are encrypted. A padlock icon in the address bar visually indicates that a HTTPS connection is in effect
  • Clean machine: Make sure all your Internet connected devices, Web services, and applications are with up to date with the latest software and patches which fix security vulnerabilities discovered. Enable auto updates when you can
  • Have I Been Pwned?: HIBP is a website that allows you to check if your personal data has been compromised in a data breach. Check it regularly
  • Share with Care: Some great tips about how to share without oversharing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
  • Think before you post: Take a moment to think about how any on-line post might be perceived by others. It goes without saying that you shouldn't post anything which might later cause you (or someone else) embarrassment
  • Use Parental Controls: Parental controls are a great tool to help protect your children online. Nothing is fool proof, so don't replace the need to support and advise children using the internet
  • When in doubt, throw it out: Cybercriminals are devious and often use links in email, social media, and advertisements to steal your personal information. Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, don't click on it, delete or ignore it

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.