A few days ago, it was announced that a flaw in internet security dubbed “the heartbleed bug” could be secretly exposing private and important information without the internet user knowing it’s happening.
Yikes!
Some of the websites affected by this bug are Tumblr, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, etc. Luckily sites like LinkedIn and most banking websites were not affected, and sites like Twitter, Netflix and eBay are unsure whether or not they were affected. In any case, there has been a large push for internet users to change their passwords to any of the websites that have been affected by the bug. It won’t guarantee that everything is safe, as there is always a risk of exposing your information to hackers when you use the Internet, but it will at least increase your chances of being secure.
Internet security is not something we should mess around with. In our generation, using the Internet for things like banking, shopping and communicating is very commonplace. With our overreliance on the Internet, we need to make sure we take precautions about what we share and how we share it. This includes but is not limited to password protection, privacy settings and the content we post in the first place.
In order to protect yourself online, you must have a strong password. That means no room for your birthday, your pet’s name or your parents’ names. Don’t even think you’re being clever if your password is ‘password.’ It makes it easier for hackers to crack when you’re being cutesy with your password. The point of having one, after all, is to protect whatever profile you’re putting on the web. So, choose something with letters, numbers and/or special characters if the website you’re creating it for allows it. Also, try not to have a pattern in it either. It again, makes it easier for someone to figure out. And, of course, don’t use the same password for everything because if it is cracked on one website, the rest of them are prone to hacking as well, a situation you do not want to find yourself in.
It is also important to know how to use privacy settings, and, further, you have to actually employ them. Turning your Facebook profile so that your name doesn’t even show up even if specifically searched for isn’t just a way to guard that one drunken night from the prying eyes of potential employers. It is also a way to ensure that your profile isn’t going to be raped and pillaged by a hacker with too much time on their hands. Think about what this person can get if they hack your profile; they will know where you live, where you go to school, who your friends are, etc. Turn on privacy settings.
Another really simple step in protecting your online identity is to be conscious of what you’re posting. Don’t post your address. Don’t post your phone number. Don’t post things you’re going to regret posting in five years. Even if you delete something from a website, it doesn’t go away. There is still data of the post out there somewhere that can be found. If you’re contemplating whether or not it’s a good idea to post something, it’s probably not…so do yourself a favor and hit backspace.
In this day and age, it’s important for us to know how to protect ourselves on the internet and do what we can to maintain our security as we navigate the web. We use the internet for virtually (pun intended) everything nowadays, and it doesn’t seem likely that is going to stop or decrease in frequency any time soon. So take steps to protect yourself and your information from the heartbleed bug and whatever glitch is sure to succeed it.
Featured photo courtesy of: BrightonLite
