Think Before You Post

Like diamonds, your actions online are forever.  The idea that you can completely "delete" or "remove"something is a fallacy.  When you post, update, or engage online there are numerous ways that your content gets backed up, repeated, linked, indexed, and otherwise spread across the internet.

More on this subject soon. 

Software Hackers

OK, so what can you do to reduce the possibility of having your social software hacked?

1.  Know what software you have instalaled.  Take care to keep your web browsers up-to-date.  These days, many auto-update.  Make sure Java is set to automatically update as well and follow through with update notifications from it (as it usually requires user interaction to update).

2.  Check to see that you have the latest version;  software and operating systems are dropped from support, so be sure you use a version that is currently being supported.

3.  Check for new security patches and updates on a regular basis, the more frequent the better.

Whenever possible, use automatic update features, and make sure you turn it on!

Keep Your Software Up To Date

Criminals and hackers are always looking to exploit holes within software to gain access to your computing devices.  One method they use is to look for vulnerabilities within software code to target their attacks.  Once these vulnerabilities are discovered, software providers rewrite or update their software code to "patch" the holes so they cannot be exploited.  In 2015 over 100 patch bulletins were issued.

Microsoft isn't alone in the battle of finding and patching these holes.  All software providers are in this cat-and-mouse game of staying ahead of the criminals.  That is why it is important to update your operating system and installed software regularly. 

Next blog post will tell you what you can do to protect yourself in this area.

What You Can Do

So how do you know who you are talking to on social virtual networks? 

Always think twice.
Remember that online friends are not the same as real-life friends.
Never agree to meet someone by yourself if you do not know them.
Do not give your personal information online.  Keep your last name, address, and phone number   private.
Profiles can be fake;  don't trust simply what is posted online.
Understand the potentially dangerous situations that could occur online and in real life, and be certain not to expose yourself to them. 

Know Who You Are Talking To

It's easy to lie about who you are on social virtual networks.  Whether it's a small omission on a profile or something more nefarious, there is no question that people are generally free to create whatever identity they want online.  That freedom occasionally leads to extreme cases of complete identity manipulaltion.

There are many serial predators online with fake identities  waiting to victimize you.  It's up to you to do the digging to know who is on the other end of the screen.  Are they the real thing or something else?  How can you trust that they are who they say they are?  Do you take the same precautions on the Web that you tell your children to take?

Next post we will talk about what you can do to protect yourself.