Privacy Tips

Almost everyone has witnessed some kind of hacking online whether it's a major corporation or getting spam from your mom's email address. We all make ourselves vulnerable by putting our information online, but there are certain precautions we can take to help keep that information secure.

1. Have a strong password. While this may seem like common sense many people still use "weak" passwords for accounts that hold very private information. According to CBSNews, the top password of 2012 was "password," which is a very weak password. A "strong" password is often over six characters long, has both capital and lower case letters, includes at least one number and sometimes includes at least one special character. While this may seem inconvenient typing it in each time you log on, it makes it that much harder for a hacker to gain access to your site.

2. Be a careful clicker. If a link seems fishy or too good to be true, don't click it. Hackers often plant intriguing links that when clicked spread malware. Even if you mom emails it to you, don't click it. She may have fallen prey to one of these links and her account may be infected.

3. Keep personal information personal. If you are ever contacted on a social networking site or via email asking for personal information - like your bank account number or social security number - don't give it out. Sometimes hackers will pose as banks to try to get your to give them your information. Don't fall for it. If the bank needs to contact you, they will do it in a different way.

4. Be aware of apps.  Be careful which apps you install. Social networking sites often allow you to download apps, such as games, from a third party. This third party then has access to your information you and you have little to no control over what they can and cannot have access to. Only install apps that you trust from well known sites. If you're not using an app, delete it, there is not reason to keep it around. And also be aware that installing some apps may alter your privacy settings, so always check those after you install an app.

5. Keep updated. Keep your system as a whole updated with virus and spyware protection software as well as a firewall. It helps to set your anti-virus programs to "auto-update" so they are constantly checking and keeping your information safe.