Protect Your Data Online

Recently another huge data breach has made news headlines. On September 7, 2017 Equifax – one of America’s largest credit reporting agencies – announced that they were a victim of hackers and a resulting data breach. This breach left 143 million American’s data at risk. The breach lasted from May to July 2017 and the hackers were exposed to names, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and driver’s license numbers. Redondo Mortgage Center is committed to helping our clients and community stay safe from data security issues, so we’re excited to tell you about some of our tips to protect your personal data online.

Update Antivirus & Operating Systems

Antivirus software and native operating systems on your computer are constantly updating and improving their abilities. Because every day a new virus or hacking technique is developed, these programs have to be very agile to accommodate. As a result, you should always insure that you’re running the latest and greatest version. You should receive notifications of available updates, but just to be safe you should check the antivirus and operating system websites each month to check for updates. Set a calendar notification to remind you on the first of each month to check!

Password Complexity

All passwords that you use should be unique and secure. They should also not be something easily guessed or common (this list should be avoided)! Try using a password generator to create unique, secure passwords on your behalf. We like LastPass, and other popular tools include random.org, GitHub, and KeePass.

Free Wifi

Free wifi networks (those that don’t require password authentication) are generally unsafe to use. Even if you don’t access your secure sites (like bank accounts, email accounts, or social accounts), hackers can still access your data for non-HTTPs enabled sites. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to only use networks that require complex password authentication whenever possible.

Avoid Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are scams that involve incentivizing a user to click on a link. These links lead to intricately designed forms that will ask you to disclose sensitive information (like your social accounts or email password, credit card information, or social security details). Keep an eye out for any emails that appear to be suspicious or ask you to input sensitive information. When in doubt, simply reach out to the business directly via a phone number you can find somewhere outside the email and resulting web form to confirm that it is in fact someone you can trust.

To learn more about Redondo Mortgage Center and the services we provide, visit www.RedondoMortgage.com or call (310) 318-8999. If you are concerned that your data may be at risk in the Equifax data breach, visit https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com.