Over the last few years, issues to do with cyber security have become a major concern for most people, which is understandable! Hackers are now so advanced that they even attack government institutions and demand for payments. The recent ‘wannacry’ malware is a perfect example. Unfortunately, no matter how risky the cyber space becomes, you cannot run away from it. That’s because most government services are now online. You have to key-in sensitive information such as your social security number online for you to access services. To help you stay safe online, here are four tips to keeping your information safe online when ordering government documents from home.
Avoid public wireless services
It is very enticing use free public Wi-Fi when filling up forms for government services. However, for the sake of your safety, resist this temptation as much as possible when ordering government services. That’s because you are not the only person using such networks, and hackers too could be on the network, trying to steal your private information. To protect yourself, make sure that you are using a secure network, when ordering anything that requires your social security card details online. On the same note, even when using a private and secure network, ensure that your Bluetooth connectivity is off. Bluetooth is one of the easiest ways for hackers to infiltrate your network and steal your personal information.
Use strong passwords
This may come across as an obvious cyber security measure, but the truth is that many people use simple passwords that give hackers an easy time. To protect yourself, make use of long and complex passwords that combine both alpha-numerics and special characters. Remember you are trying to access important government documents and if someone can gain access to such information, they can easily steal it and commit crimes in your name. You should also write your password for government services on a piece of paper, rather than remembering it on your browser. This eliminates any loopholes that can give hackers access to your government issued documents.
Install security software in your home computer
Using internet security software is one of the best ways to protect your information from hackers. For best results, install security software that offers comprehensive and real time protection from viruses and malware. Make use of paid ones, since free internet security services and trial versions don’t have the same hi-tech functionalities as the paid ones. It may set you back a few bucks, but it is totally worth the money considering the dangers that identity theft can cause to you.
Ignore pop ups while accessing the government portal
We are all used to this, right? Some funny pop-ups here and there any time you go online. To help protect yourself, ensure that you use a pop-up blocker when accessing government services. These pop-ups are usually malware designed to steal your personal information. That’s why you need to ignore them. To get even better protection, make use of a pop-up blocker when looking to access documents from a government website.
Keeping up with all the latest in cyber security is a challenge. There are basic steps that should now be part of our daily lives that will protect us from the dangers that lurk online, even when filing government paperwork.
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