DIY: Critical for your personal and financial data

Posted on | By Batia

Protect your personal and financial Information (critical!)

If you didn’t know, I am a former Information Security professional with multiple certifications. This is one reason I am very security-conscious. While many people ignore the security of their personal information, at some point, they regret. The computer was hacked, the bank account was cleaned to zero, and Social Security and personal info were published on dark websites, with a price assigned for sale by professional hackers.

Many of my friends or their family members call me when any of the events described above occur.

What is unfortunate is that many people do not understand the severity of the problem. Even with my professional skills, I was not able to protect my Social Security number (it was hacked because a major website was hacked, revealing millions of records).

Therefore, I repeatedly emphasize in my articles that personal and financial data must be protected thoroughly and methodically.

Below is a list of actions I highly recommend doing. Yes, it takes time and effort, but in the end you will thank me.

WHAT YOU MUST DO NOW

Personal Password Audit

  •  Use a unique password for every sensitive account (banks, investment companies, healthcare organizations).
  •  Make passwords long rather than complicated. Use the password phrases like fav^oritemoVieavatar@876 (favorite movie Avatar). Or: i^Love-mycoFFeininthemorning. You’ve got an idea, right?
  •  Ensure trusted family members can access important accounts in an emergency.
  •  Use a password manager (recommended: Proton Pass).

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

  •  Enable 2FA on all critical accounts. It can be just your phone number that will receive the SMS with a code. Or it can be a so-called Authenticator app. You can use VIP Access from Norton, Google Authenticator, or Duo Mobile. When you log in, the website asks you for a code generated by your app. It can also be your fingerprint if the smartphone or laptop supports this option.
  •  Prioritize:
    • Investment accounts
    • Cryptocurrency accounts
    • Social media accounts
  •  Consider a hardware security key (recommended: YubiKey). This is the most secure option (you insert the key into your USB or USB-C port when you need to log in).

Home Network

  •  Change your Wi-Fi router administrator password. Make it complicated.
  • If you are technical enough, create a separate Wi-Fi network on your router just for security cameras and guests.

Device Security

  •  Protect your phone, tablet, and computer with a passcode or fingerprint.
  •  Enable "Find My Phone" (or equivalent).

Social Media Privacy

  •  Make all social media accounts private.
  • Get a separate email for non-essential accounts on various websites. Many emails are free. Use more secure emails than Gmail (I avoid it!). For instance, use Protonmail.com, Tuta.com, and a few others that offer better privacy. Move your sensitive accounts to use those secure emails.
  •  Facebook:
    • Review and update privacy settings. It takes time, but it's worth doing.
  •  LinkedIn:
    • Don't use your personal email as your contact email.
  •  Instagram:
    • Switch account to Private.
  • Use a fake name and fake birthday date for non-essential websites. It will protect your name from being hacked. Over the years, I was named Diana, Bob, Sam, and Robert, each with a corresponding fake last name. It did not prevent me from fully using the websites.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IN ADDITION (Recommended)

Credit Protection

  •  Freeze your credit with all major credit reporting agencies. Unfreeze only when you apply for another credit card or loan, and then freeze back. It will prevent any hacker from using your credit to open a loan or a fake credit card.

Identity & Credit Monitoring

  •  Check your credit report at least twice per year with those credit agencies.
  •  Consider identity/credit monitoring if you have already been compromised or believe you're being targeted. Some are free, and some have a small fee.

Banking

  • Reconcile bank accounts every month. Check for suspicious transactions. I had multiple occasions when I had to renew my credit card due to unauthorized transactions.

Personal Data Protection

  •  Remove personal information from data broker sites. There are special forms you can use to request it.
  •  Consider a virtual mailing address. It can cost as low as $9.99/month. https://www.anytimemailbox.com/, https://www.usa2me.com
  •  Consider a virtual phone number. I’ve got mine at Dingtone.me. I use it when I don’t want the third-rate companies to bother me with their offers.

Browser

  • Use a privacy-focused browser instead of Chrome or Edge. Examples: Brave.com or DuckDuckGo.com

Email Masking

  • Enable an email masking service. Duck.com forwards emails to your real email account.

Optional Security Measures

Advanced security—not required for most people.

VPN

  •  Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
  •  Optionally install the VPN on your router to protect all devices.
  • Remember, a free VPN has a cost: your personal data. Spend a few dollars to have the most secure VPN that doesn’t share your data (Proton VPN as an example).

Antimalware

  •  Install antivirus/anti-malware software ALWAYS! I have installed two at the same time. If one has missed the infection, the other will block it. Good ones: Malwarebytes.com, Bitdefender.com. Look for better prices on eBay or Amazon.

Cloud Storage

  •  Move backups to an encrypted cloud storage provider.
  • Also, back up to your local USB drive (1-2 Terabytes capacity)

Secure Messaging

  •  Use an end-to-end encrypted messaging app (e.g., Signal, WhatsApp). Minimize the use of Google Messages.

SIM Security

  •  Consider a more secure or anonymous SIM provider, especially if you are overseas.
  •  Especially useful if protecting high-value financial or cryptocurrency accounts.

Search Engine

  •  Switch to a privacy-focused search engine: Duckduckgo.com.
  •  Or install a privacy browser/search extension.

Virtual Payment Cards

  •  Use virtual or burner credit cards for online purchases.

Priority Order (Best Value for Most People)

  • Unique passwords + password manager
  • Enable 2FA everywhere
  • Change router password
  • Make social media private
  • Freeze your credit
  • Use an encrypted email address for financial accounts
  • Enable email masking
  • Use a privacy-focused browser
  • Add optional protections (VPN, Signal, encrypted cloud storage, virtual cards) as needed

 

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