24 Seven August 2020

August 2020 Issue
Staying Safe Online
Written by Joan Herrmann
E
Every day we are bombarded with
information about the coronavirus outbreak. Doctors
and other healthcare providers share tips to help us stay
healthy, and we are even taught the proper way to wash
our hands. While personal health and hygiene are of the
utmost importance, perhaps equally important is learning
how to maintain cyber health and hygiene during this
time.
Social distancing and stay at home directives have
confined people to their homes and we are using internet
and online services for social interaction, shopping,
paying bills, and completing work projects. And, while
we are blessed to have this technology, this lifeline comes
with heightened security risks. Unfortunately, threats
exist beyond the disease itself and criminals will use the
situation to take advantage of you! Here are a few ways to
help you stay safe online.
Watch out for scams. There are people who take
legitimate sites like the CDC or hospitals, and send out
official looking email messages about COVID-19. They
insert links in the message in an attempt to get you to
click for more information. They embed malware in the
links so that when you click, they can infect your computer
giving them access to login information, personal data, etc.
Do not open anything unless you visit the actual site, and
never click on a link or open an attachment, no matter how
legitimate it looks!
Think before you share. There is an abundance of
disinformation being disseminated in an attempt to
mislead you. Obtain your information from legitimate
sources only – actual news outlet sites, CDC, etc. Do not
trust third parties that you have never heard of before.
Always check the validity of information before sharing.
Practice good hygiene. In additional to washing
your hands after every physical contact, practice cyber
hygiene to keep your computer system and personal
information safe. Clean your computer of any viruses,
secure passwords, download patches and updates, and do
not download anything from unknown sources. Be extra
vigilant on verification.
Keep your personal information private. Being
confined to your home may create the need for connection,
which may cause you to lower your social media guard and
overshare. More time online may lead to riskier behavior.
Be careful not to provide more personal information
than normal and always monitor what appears in the
background of a photo or livestream. Be sure to maintain
proper privacy settings.
Be mindful of online contacts and connections.
Increased social media use can open the door for
communicating with strangers. Carefully vet a person
before accepting a connection request.
Avoid product scams. Searching the web can expose
you to scams. If you find a hard to acquire product on the
site of an unknown source, ask yourself why this site has
the product when other reputable sites do not. Follow the
rule of thumb: if it seems too good to be true, it is. Stick
with legitimate sites when ordering online.
Implementing safe online practices are important on any
“normal” day, but now when so many are vulnerable, it’s of
the utmost importance. As the old saying goes, “An ounce
of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
About The Author
JOAN HERRMANN
Joan Herrmann is the creator of the Change Your Attitude…
Change Your life brand and host of the radio show and podcast,
Conversations with Joan. She is a motivational speaker and the
publisher of 24 Seven magazine.
To Learn More Visit:
www.JoanHerrmann.com