October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

October 6, 2010 – 10:24 am

It’s estimated that someone’s identity is stolen every three second, and with the world available at your fingertips online, it’s no wonder consumers may be at a greater risk of becoming victimized by this crime.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a month focused on developing public awareness and education regarding the importance of online safety and security. The month is dedicated to reaching consumers, schools, businesses and government agencies about the importance of keeping personal assets safe, and the overall security of cyberspace. Each and every consumer action will have an impact on cyber security, and informing consumers what they can do to keep their computers safe is crucial.

In it’s annual report, the FBI showed that cybercrime is still on the rise, with 336,655 complaints registered with the Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2009. The vast majority of the cases involved fraud and a financial loss by the complainant.

LifeLock and the National Cyber Security Alliance recommend the following tips that can help protect consumers from being victimized by tech-savvy identity thieves.

• You should know the protection and privacy features of the Web sites and software you and your family use, and you should know how to manage them.

• Control the privacy settings of social networking sites, cell phones and other social tools you and your family use.

• Keep your personal information personal. Be extra cautious about how much information you freely give away on social networking sites. The more information you post the easier it is for a hacker to use that information against you.

• Be sure you know who your friends are on social networking sites.

• Don’t trust random links; they could contain malware or be part of a phishing attack.

• Be sure your children know how to block or report a cyberbully if they are playing games online. They should know how to keep a record of the conversation if they are being harassed, and encourage them not to engage the bully. Make sure your child’s user name doesn’t give away his real name, location, gender, age or any other personal information.

To be proactive in protecting your personal information, call LifeLock, the identity theft protection service industry’s proactive leader. LifeLock will help you know what’s going on before the damage can be done. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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