- Be alert | Use common sense and think twice before clicking links, opening attachments or responding to emails. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Throw it out if in doubt | Be wary of emails that require "immediate action" or ask for personal information. Delete any messages that look suspicious.
- Protect your passwords | Create different passwords for different sites and use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols to make them hard to guess. And never share your passwords with anyone, including close friends.
- Keep apps and software up-to-date | Set up automatic updates for your computer and mobile devices and regularly restart them to give them a chance to complete the update process.
- Limit activities on public Wi-Fi | Never use public Wi-Fi to access or enter sensitive information, such as online banking, and consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to lock down your connection.
- Avoid oversharing on social media | Sharing too much information, such as indicating when you're on vacation or away from home, can make you an easy target for #burglary. Also, adjust privacy settings on your accounts and only friend people you know.
- Be a savvy online shopper | Always use a secure or private Wi-Fi network to shop online. Look for the lock symbol next to the web address before entering payment information and use a credit card or secure payment site like PayPal—not a debit card—to complete transactions.
- Use two-factor authentication | If a site or app offers you the ability to set up two-factor authentication when signing in, do it. This extra layer of security will require you to verify your identity twice before you can access sensitive information.
- Back up files and data on a regular basis | Set up automatic backups of your device and store the backup to a cloud service or external hard drive.
- Be a good online citizen | What you do online has the potential to affect everyone—at home, at school and around the world—so always be courteous and practice good online etiquette.
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