How to Prepare and Protect Yourself Virtually
16 Nov 2016

Install Anti-Virus Software
Some computers come with already installed anti-virus or malware protection software. Depending on what computer you own, you can do a quick search by clicking the home button and type in “Virus Protection”.

Have Long, Unique Passwords
It is important that when creating or updating your password for a social media, email or banking account that you make it long and unique to you. Choose a password that others can't easily guess and avoid using common words or personal information about you (birthday, phone number, social, etc.). Weak Password: ilovemycat Strong Password: IL0v3myC@t!6849668 The key to a strong password is using capital letters, numbers and unique symbols on the keyboard. If you have a difficult time remembering unique passwords, write it down and store in a filing cabinet that is locked or in a good hiding spot.Use Different Passwords on Different Sites
Now that you have a strong, unique password that only you know, it's important to create a new password for other sites that you usually use. We recommend creating a unique password for each of your email accounts, social media accounts and at least banking account to start. Since these accounts provide the most amount of information about you, it's important to protect it. We recommend using Dashlane to help keep all of your passwords secure. Not only do they do a detailed analysis of how strong your passwords are, they will also tell you what passwords are vulnerable. One great feature about Dashlane is you can have one general password to access all of your other passwords.Set Up Two-Step Verification
Take advantage of any site that offers two-step verification. Gmail, Facebook, Apple, and Dropbox allow you to set up a second step of verifying it's you through a text message to your phone number of choice. Even though it is a little bit of a nuisance to set up, it is absolutely worth it. Why? If a hacker figures out your password, they still have to know the other unique code that is sent to your phone. The great thing is, that code changes every single time you log in.Don’t Access Any Personal Information over Public Wi-Fi
Never access personal accounts like a banking account over public wi-fi. This includes places like a coffee shop, the library or a hotel. Hackers can set up networks that track and save your personal information. Try to limit using this type of internet connection.Secure Your Social Media Accounts
On top of setting up two-step verification with Facebook, set aside some time to go through your Privacy Settings. By doing so, this will allow you to control who can see your profile, if only mutual friends can add you and what information and pictures you choose to share with others. Avoid accepting friend requests from people you have never met in person.Only Shop on HTTPS Websites
What does Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) mean? You'll notice most sites that you surf either have an HTTP or HTTPS at the beginning of a URL. Here's an example: