{"id":980,"date":"2024-08-05T20:11:43","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T14:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/"},"modified":"2024-08-05T20:31:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T15:01:17","slug":"hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you’re 1 step away from disaster online"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Chances are, you are a lot closer to an online security disaster than you think. Information about you is spread out far and wide online, and losing control of this digital identity can be incredibly embarrassing at best and financially devastating or personally dangerous at worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it may initially seem overwhelming, we’re here to help you stay protected online. We’ve created a list of all the steps to stay safe online. Since there is a lot of information, we suggest you work through it at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping your software\u00a0up to\u00a0<\/a>date\u00a0is one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe online. Whether you are using a Windows machine, a Mac, an iPhone or an Android smartphone, all these devices are routinely updated with new security fixes. It’s a good idea to double-check and ensure your device’s automatic updates are turned on. Here’s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the start menu, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update<\/strong>. From the Windows Update section, you’ll see a range of options for updating Windows. Here you can set up your “active hours” to make sure that Windows reboots and installs automatic updates outside of your waking or working hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Windows 11 users will click the Windows icon and proceed to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options<\/strong>. From here, you can control when Windows Update will run, similar to the “active hours” control in Windows 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mac users can open System Preferences > Software Update and click the “Advanced” button. While in the “Advanced” section, make sure every box is checked, as this will ensure they receive<\/strong> timely OS updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to turn on automatic updates with an iPhone, open Settings > General > Software Update<\/strong> and make sure that Automatic Updates<\/strong> is turned on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have an Android device, open Settings > System > Advanced > System Update<\/strong> and ensure the System Update<\/strong> setting is turned on.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reusing the same password on multiple websites or applications is one of the most common cybersecurity mistakes. If you use the same password for multiple things, it only takes one service breach to expose your other accounts. Using a\u00a0password\u00a0manager\u00a0is an easy solution to creating strong passwords for multiple accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two-factor\u00a0authentication\u00a0is a great way to add an extra layer of security to your online accounts. Enabling two-factor authentication makes it harder for hackers to access your account, as your account will require a one-time code in addition to the password to log in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you were to lose your laptop,\u00a0tablet or phone, all of the personal information on those devices may be accessible to whoever finds it. An easy way to keep yourself safe in this scenario is to have your devices encrypted beforehand.\u00a0Encryption\u00a0makes the data hard for hackers to read, and while it sounds complicated, the actual process is easy to set up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve lost your device before you could encrypt it, there’s no need to worry too much. It’s easier than ever to locate a lost smartphone or to wipe it remotely. We have a great guide on what to do if you’ve\u00a0lost your phone for both Androids and iPhones.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also use a similar process to locate a lost\u00a0Windows\u00a0laptop\u00a0or\u00a0MacBook. As operating systems have moved to storing information in the cloud, it’s easy to wipe a lost laptop. If you lose a laptop in public, we recommend remotely wiping it as soon as possible to ensure your data isn’t taken by a malicious actor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams.\u00a0Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We use our web browsers daily. Whether from a laptop, a desktop or a smartphone, you probably use your web browser more than most other apps. Taking a few minutes to regularly update your browser to the latest version, being cautious about the websites you visit and avoiding suspicious downloads are all crucial practices that complement your browser’s security features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By implementing these security measures, you’re protecting your browser, personal information, financial data and overall digital identity from\u00a0being exposed to a security risk by potential hackers and cybercriminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smartphones now act as extensions of our personal lives, used for everything from banking to scheduling doctor appointments. It’s more important than ever to keep your smartphone secure, and fortunately, both Android and iOS feature a wide range of built-in features to help protect your personal information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To enhance your\u00a0iPhone\u00a0or\u00a0Android’s\u00a0security, start by enabling a strong lock screen method such as a complex passcode, fingerprint recognition or facial recognition. Exercise caution when using\u00a0public Wi-Fi networks\u00a0and consider using a\u00a0VPN\u00a0for added security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your home Wi-Fi network can power your smart home devices, but it can also leave you\u00a0vulnerable to hackers. Luckily, it’s easy to tweak your\u00a0home wireless settings\u00a0to keep yourself more protected. Similar to our previous steps, you’ll want to make sure your router has the most recent updated firmware and that you use two-factor authentication and a strong password for your wireless connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regularly backing up your data protects your digital life from hardware failures, theft or cyberattacks. Choose a reliable backup method that suits your needs, such as\u00a0cloud\u00a0storage\u00a0or\u00a0external hard drives. Set up automatic backups to run consistently, ensuring all your devices, including smartphones and tablets, are covered. Secure your backups by using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication for cloud storage or encrypting physical backups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Periodically, test your backups by restoring files to ensure the system works correctly. Remember, a solid backup strategy is an essential component of your overall cybersecurity plan, providing both protection and peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s digital landscape, your personal information can end up in numerous online databases and people search sites without your knowledge or consent. These data aggregators collect and sell your information, potentially exposing you to privacy risks and unwanted solicitations. Using a data removal service can help mitigate these risks by systematically removing your personal information from these databases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By reducing your digital footprint, you decrease the chances of your personal information being misused for identity theft, targeted advertising or other privacy-invading practices. While it’s challenging to completely erase your online presence, using a data removal service is an effective step towards regaining control over your personal information and enhancing your overall online privacy and security.\u00a0Check out my top picks for data removal services here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting your online presence might seem daunting, but remember, it’s all about taking small, consistent steps. Think of it as building a digital fortress: each measure you implement is another brick in your wall of cybersecurity. Don’t feel pressured to tackle everything at once. Start with the basics, like enabling automatic updates and using strong passwords, then gradually work your way through the more steps. The digital world is constantly evolving and so should our security practices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chances are, you are a lot closer to an online security disaster than you think. Information about you is spread out far and wide online, and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[462,464,463,460,461],"class_list":["post-980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech","tag-iphone","tag-online-accounts","tag-password-manager","tag-public-wi-fi","tag-security-risk"],"yoast_head":"\nHacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chances are, you are a lot closer to an online security disaster than you think. Information about you is spread out far and wide online, and…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Leading the AI News Frontier\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f939c39aa47576860d0236de03d92109\"},\"headline\":\"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you’re 1 step away from disaster online\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\"},\"wordCount\":1262,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"iPhone\",\"online accounts\",\"password\u00a0manager\",\"public Wi-Fi\",\"security risk\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Tech\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\",\"name\":\"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you’re 1 step away from disaster online\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/\",\"name\":\"Leading the AI News Frontier\",\"description\":\"Empowering You with AI Intelligence\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Leading the AI News Frontier\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AInews.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AInews.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":72,\"caption\":\"Leading the AI News Frontier\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f939c39aa47576860d0236de03d92109\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/author\/prativadainews\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier","og_description":"Chances are, you are a lot closer to an online security disaster than you think. Information about you is spread out far and wide online, and…","og_url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/","og_site_name":"Leading the AI News Frontier","article_published_time":"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f939c39aa47576860d0236de03d92109"},"headline":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you’re 1 step away from disaster online","datePublished":"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/"},"wordCount":1262,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization"},"keywords":["iPhone","online accounts","password\u00a0manager","public Wi-Fi","security risk"],"articleSection":["Tech"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/","url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/","name":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you're 1 step away from disaster online - Leading the AI News Frontier","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-08-05T14:41:43+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-05T15:01:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/hacked-scammed-exposed-why-youre-1-step-away-from-disaster-online\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hacked, scammed, exposed: Why you’re 1 step away from disaster online"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/","name":"Leading the AI News Frontier","description":"Empowering You with AI Intelligence","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#organization","name":"Leading the AI News Frontier","url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AInews.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AInews.png","width":300,"height":72,"caption":"Leading the AI News Frontier"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f939c39aa47576860d0236de03d92109","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a3cd2a786fa91b6ef0a32f79100bce09ca647b35c4fd9c7ae06d11101b31a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com"],"url":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/author\/prativadainews\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=980"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":991,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/980\/revisions\/991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ainews.prativad.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}