Protecting Your Personal Information Online
If you have had a website hacked before, you’ll know how little fun that can be. What’s worse is having delicate information (such as credit card information) phished by cybercriminals! As someone who works with WordPress, I have had clients come to me on more than one occasion in desperation over hacked websites or online accounts.
It’s a scary thought that online pirates can do serious damage if they can access your personal information. With more and more sensitive information being stored in the cloud at an ever-increasing rate, trusted security is becoming paramount.
There are several security measures that one can take to protect your personal information online. Installing trusted software is a good start, but what’s more important is ensuring that any website you use often, has official security certifications.
Norton Security is one such service that has been around as far back as I can remember. Their longevity has allowed them to adapt and update their software as necessary, and their years of experience have rewarded them with a high regard in the online world. I personally put my full trust in any website that is Norton secured.
One would expect any website that stores personal data of their clientele (such as credit card information) to take their online security very seriously. Keep a look out for the official Norton secured logo when making use of similar websites – especially if you are going to be inputting banking or credit card information.
If you own a website, stay on good terms with Google. Don’t publish anything that violates their terms of use, such as pornographic or other harmful material. Get your website verified with Google Webmaster Tools and show Google that you can be trusted. Your website will get marked as such in search results with a nice green tick and a thumbs up.
The biggest names in online security have been around as long as they have for a reason: they work! They deserve the reputation they have gained and we can applaud their efforts to stay ahead of those who wish to prey on our personal information online for malicious ends.
Stick with the tried and tested. Be cautious when providing personal information online. Be safe, and keep an eye open for official security badges and certificates.
