It’s amazing how in the last 10-12 years everything has gone from paper to digital. For that reason, with the rise of the digital age, so has come the rise of cybercrime. And no matter how tech-savvy you think you might be, it’s important to remain diligent and protect your personal information online.

According to a 2017 Norton Cyber Security Study, in the United States, 143 million consumers were victims of cybercrime. As a result, that’s more than half of the U.S. adult online population. Cybercriminals are creative, persistent and use many schemes with the intent to steal your information. Here are 5 ways to protect your personal information online:

1. Anti-Virus Software

Make sure to install and use a highly rated anti-virus program. Anti-virus software products block cybercriminals’ attempts to install malicious programs on your computer.

Even more, just because you have the software, you should continue to be vigilant and protect your personal information online in other ways.

2. Keep Your Devices Up-To-Date

Sometimes it seems like a hassle to stop everything and update your devices. In other words, when it comes to making sure you protect your personal information online, that 10-minute update can be helpful. Updates are released to help fix bugs that are found in the previous software.
Consequently, all operating systems need to be periodically updated to fix security holes in devices such as your computer, phone, tablet, etc.

When you become a U-Haul Self-Storage Affiliate, you will be equipped with WebSelfStorage management software. It’s updated to help fit the ever-changing digital landscape and is supported by the most advanced and secure data center in the self-storage industry. That means when updated software becomes available, it is provided at no extra cost.

3. Be Careful of What You Download

If you don’t trust the source, don’t press the download button. If you don’t know the sender, don’t download the attachment.

Above all, if you’re still not sure you can trust a website, you can always look for an indicator that the site might be trustworthy. In the top of most browsers, next to the URL, either the word “secure” or a lock symbol will appear. This will show that the website has settings in place to help maintain your information privacy.

If you notice something downloading that you did not click on, stop it immediately, it may contain malicious code.

4. Protect Your Password

There are many rules when it comes to passwords. For that reason, these rules are important if you want to protect your personal information online:

• Never share your password
• Make it difficult for others to figure out; this means your password should never be things like “password”
• Do not use the same password for all of your online accounts
• Update your passwords regularly

5. Don’t Follow E-mail Link Scams

If the offer in your e-mail looks too good to be true: it is. That dream vacation that you just won or that court summons you were never aware of: it’s a scam. Be careful of clicking on links sent by people you do not know. Only open links if they come from people you know and trust. Cybercriminals often use links in e-mails to deliver malicious programs and viruses. In an effort, to protect your personal information online, just be smart and delete the e-mail.

For the record: You will never be notified of a court summons or lawsuit via e-mail.

It’s important to be hyper-vigilant and protect your personal information online. As our society continues to be more digitally dependent, you must remain more cautious of the threats cybercriminals pose to your business information.