Have You Been Hacked?

Have you been hacked? How does this happen?

I’m skimming through he emails on one of my loops and there’s a message from me - except it’s not. “Check this out” with a link. I have no idea where the link goes. I don’t check it put, but I’m thinking, please don’t anyone else click on it.

I immediately change my password and post an apology to the loop, but the damage has been done.

So how do we protect ourselves. I got these tips from the Malwarebytes site https://www.malwarebytes.com/articles/10-ways-to-protect-against-hackers/

1.Update software frequently, if not automatically. This keeps hackers from accessing your computer through vulnerabilities in outdated programs

2.Download up-to-date security programs, including antivirus and anti-malware software, anti-spyware, and a firewall.

3.Do not use open wifi; it makes it too easy for hackers to steal your connection and download illegal files.

4.Speaking of passwords: password protect all of your devices, including your desktop, laptop, phone, smartwatch, tablet, camera, lawnmower…you get the idea. Lock your phone and make the timeout fairly short. Use fingerprint lock for the iPhone and passkey or swipe for Android.

5. Create difficult passwords and change them frequently. In addition, never use the same passwords across multiple services. If that’s as painful as a stake to a vampire’s heart, use a password manager like LastPass.

6.Come up with creative answers for your security questions. People can now figure out your mother’s maiden name or where you graduated from high school with a simple Google search. Consider answering like a crazy person. If Bank of America asks, “What was the name of your first boyfriend/girlfriend?” reply “your mom.” Just don’t forget that’s how you answered when they ask you again.

7.Practice smart surfing and emailing. Phishing campaigns still exist, but hackers have become much cleverer than that Nigerian prince who needs your money. Hover over links to see the actual email address from which the email was sent. Is it really from the person or company claiming to send them? If you’re not sure, pay attention to awkward sentence construction and formatting. If something still seems fishy, do a quick search on the Internet for the subject line. Others may have been scammed and posted about it online.

8.Don’t link accounts. “Linking accounts allows services to acquire a staggering amount of personal information.”

9.Keep sensitive data off the cloud.

Have you been hacked? How did you handle it? Any other suggestions?