Archives - Personally Identifiable Information

Obscure personal information when sending messages over Signal

If you share pictures with other users through a messenger service, you should be careful to not display unwanted personal information or the identifying features or people who did not consent to the exchange. On Signal, you can easily blur these details. With the image open and attached to the message, before sending, simply click […]

Protect your privacy online

Before submitting your email address or other personally identifiable information online, you need to be sure that the privacy of that information will be protected. To protect your identity and prevent an attacker from easily accessing additional information about you, be cautious about providing your birth date, Social Security number, or other personal information online.

Be careful of requests to confirm or update your personal information

Most organizations – banks, colleges, companies, etc. – don’t ask for your personal information over email. Don’t divulge personally identifiable information (PII) online such as your full name, telephone number, address, credit card information, social security number, or doctor’s name. Avoid opening attachments, clicking on links, or responding to email messages from unknown senders or […]

Keep personal info personal

Be cautious about how much personal information you provide on social networking sites. The more information you post, the easier it may be for a hacker or someone else to use that information to steal your identity, access your data or commit other crimes such as stalking.

Check the privacy policy

Before submitting your name, email address, or other personal information on a website, look for the site’s privacy policy. This policy should state how the information will be used and whether or not the information will be distributed to other organizations. Companies sometimes share information with partner vendors who offer related products or may offer […]

Treat business information as personal information

Business information typically includes a mix of personal and proprietary data. While you may think of trade secrets and company credit accounts, it also includes employee personally identifiable information (PII) through tax forms and payroll accounts. Do not share PII with unknown parties or over unsecured networks.