Know the website you are visiting
- Ensure that the website you are visiting is the correct website. Hackers can create a site that looks very similar to a legitimate site. If you use Microsoft® Internet Explorer®, one sign of trustworthiness is if the address bar is green. Additionally, if you are visiting a website, it is best to type in the Web address yourself. Links in email messages, text messages, instant messages, or pop-up ads can take you to websites that look legitimate but are not.
Watch out for scams
- It is important to be vigilant and watch out for scams. Be wary of emails that contain information on deals that sound too good to be true, contain alerts about your bank account, etc. These emails could easily be the work of cyber criminals looking to collect your financial data.
Conduct financial transactions at home
- Never pay bills, bank, shop, or do other financial business on a public or shared computer or on devices that are on public wireless networks, such as laptops or cell phones. The security it unreliable.
Create Secure Passwords
- Passwords should have at least eight characters and include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Avoid words and proper names, regardless of language. Hackers use programs that try every word in the dictionary.
- Don’t use personal information – names, birthdays, etc., that someone might already know or easily obtain
- Change passwords regularly – at least every 60 days. If you believe your system or an online account you access has been compromised, change your passwords immediately.
- Use different passwords for each account you have.
- Make sure your work passwords are different from your personal passwords.
Protect Your Passwords
- Do not write down your passwords. If you need to remember your passwords, write down a hint to a password, but never the password itself. Store the hint in a safe place away from your computer.
- Do not share your passwords with anyone – attackers may try to trick you via telephone calls or email messages into sharing your password.
- Do not reveal your password on surveys, questionnaires, or security forms.
- Decline the “Remember Password” feature in Web browsers.
- Always remember to log out when using a public computer.