Award-winning debut mystery author Micki Browning is an
FBI National Academy graduate who worked in law enforcement for more than
two decades and retired as a division commander. Learn more about Micki
at her website. Today Micki stops by with information to help keep us all safe online.
Cyber Safety and Social Media
Few of us get through a single day without electronically
transmitting personal information. Think about it. ATM transactions, emails, Internet searches and purchases, downloads,
delivery text alerts—all these transactions send account information across
cyberspace. We voluntarily assume risk in exchange for convenience, but with
the advent of social media, the amount of personal information we share has
increased exponentially. Fortunately, a few extra steps can go a long way to
safeguard your privacy and mitigate your risk of becoming a victim of cyber-crime.
Cyber-crime is defined as any illegal activity conducted by
means of a computer or the Internet. It’s a huge topic and too broad for a blog
post. Instead, I’m going to concentrate on one aspect: social media platforms.
The major risk with social media lies not in the amount of personal
information you share, but rather the type. Let’s take a look at your posts.
Does Facebook remind your friends of your birthday? Sure, it’s nice to see all
the birthday wishes roll in, but birthdates are a critical component of
identity theft. Coupled with your hometown, or place of birth, and you’ve
provided a trifecta of critical information that can be used against you.
Vacations are exciting! We love to share our travels, but do
you announce them prior to embarking? Daily updates confirm you’re still away
from home. Burglars use social media, too.
Less obvious reveals abound as well. A person wanting to
scam you may use the ploy of a shared interest as a way to build trust, or to
track your activities. Even your favorite books, artists, and restaurants
provide information that can be harvested by the unscrupulous to exploit you.
That forgotten classmate from the high school you attended? He dropped out—from
a school three states away and has no idea who you really are, but wants to be
your “friend” and rekindle your relationship—for his benefit, not yours.
Why does this happen?
The Internet imparts a sense of anonymity that is absent from
face-to-face encounters. People rely on body language signals to help them
determine who to trust—and more importantly—who to avoid. It’s easy to discount
danger when a person isn’t within striking range, and the Internet fosters a
false sense of security. But ask someone who’s been the victim of identity
theft or who’s had malicious software infect her computer how disruptive an
anonymous crook can be.
What can you do?
Each platform takes steps to enhance your privacy and cyber
protection, but it’s up to you to ensure you are using them. Review their
policies. Go to the site’s help page for instructions. Be proactive. Systematically
click on each link and confirm that the settings you want are the ones you
have.
Review the passwords to all your accounts. Passwords should
be distinct for each account and include a capitalization, a character and a
number. Experts recommend changing passwords every six months. Make it a
resolution you keep—twice—every year.
Validate and verify your contacts. Friends, followers and
contacts often have access to your email. Scams are rampant. Nigerian princes aren’t
so altruistic that they want to share their fortunes with you. Malware is often
hidden in email attachments or is activated through a link embedded in the body
of the message. If you have any questions about the sender, don’t click on
either.
Several social media sites now offer retail opportunities,
which means that not only are you sharing your personal data, but your financial
info as well. Only provide financial information when you initiate the contact.
It all sounds so dire. My point is not to be paranoid about
personal privacy, but informed. “Friends” is a slippery term. It implies
someone who is close and cares about you and your activities—someone who looks
out for you. On social media, sharing your information with someone only
requires a click of a button. Cyber-crimes are often crimes of opportunity.
Don’t allow yourself to be an easy target.
Adrift
Marine scientist Meredith
Cavallo thought adjusting to a laid-back life in the Florida Keys would be a
breeze after life in the Arctic, but when a ghost-hunting documentary leader
vanishes during a midnight dive, she’s caught in a storm of supernatural
intrigue. Determined to debunk
paranormal explanations and salvage her reputation, Mer launches her own
investigation. When someone tries to kill her, she knows the truth is about to
surface. Maybe dead men do tell
tales.
