Archives - Privacy


Turn off Quick Add on Snapchat

Snapchat allows other users to add you based on mutual friends or interests. This sounds fairly safe, but might expose you to unwanted attention, or even scammers who know someone you once added to your phone and forgot about. Nefarious Snapchat requests can spread through a network of people from a single contacts book. To […]

Be sure to read software licensing agreements

When buying software digitally, there’s usually a license agreement that you must accept to complete the purchase. You don’t really have a choice if you want to use the software, but it’s worth looking at key details; for example, search for the word “sold” to determine if the product is merely being licensed and not […]

Limit the personal information you post on social

Try not to post information that might make you vulnerable, such as your address or information about your schedule or routine. If your social connections post information about you, make sure the combined information is not more than you would be comfortable with strangers knowing. Also be considerate when posting information, including photos, about your […]

Take time to limit exposure of private information

Default options on certain websites may be chosen for ease, not for security. For instance, avoid allowing a website to remember your password. If your password is stored, your profile and any account information you have provided on that site is readily available if an attacker gains access to your computer. Additionally, evaluate your settings […]

Be careful sharing your location on WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s ‘live location’ feature is really handy for coordinating meet-ups or keeping track of where your friends or family members are. But be mindful of how casually you allow people to see your live location. You can limit the length of time that your phone continues to broadcast your location, so set it to automatically […]

Use an encrypted USB drive to secure sensitive files

As over 20,000 USB memory sticks are lost each year in the U.S. alone, it’s a wise idea to protect any data you might keep on one with encryption. There are two ways you can do this. You can buy encrypted USB drives that use hardware to protect whatever you store on them, or you […]