How to Protect Your Identity, Personal Data

How to Protect Your Identity.

Introduction.

That's why we've created this page as a one-stop shop to safely protect your data and privacy. We're going to keep changing and expanding this page, so please use the comments to let us know what you'd like to see — and don't be afraid to hit us up with any security questions you may have.

Between malware, botnets, viruses, worms, ransomware and DDoS attacks, it may seem impossible to protect yourself online. The trick is to stay abreast of all the latest threats and to know what to do when the worst happens.

Current Scams

Tech-support scams: These usually come as random phone calls from technicians claiming to represent Microsoft or "Windows." They'll say there's something wrong with your computer, and that you need to install software so that they can get remote access to it. Advice: Hang up.

Latest Security Alerts.

— Mamba ransomware, famous for shutting down San Francisco's MUNI public-transit system last fall, is back, according to Kaspersky Lab. Researchers have detected it attacking businesses in Brazil and Saudi Arabia. ADVICE: Back up all your drives regularly, and keep your antivirus software updated.

— Microsoft's Patch Tuesday updates for August included a fix for a previously unknown flaw that would have made another ransomware worm like WannaCry possible. ADVICE: Update your Windows system.

The iOS application SMS Touch has been around for ages, but you might want to stop using it. A new report claims that SMS Touch sends its users' email addresses and passwords through the internet in plaintext when users sign in, and that the "text" messages that SMS Touch sends across the globe are unencrypted as well. ADVICE: Switch to WhatsApp to send messages across devices and platforms securely.

— If you have a first-generation Amazon Echo (with "01" at the end of the model number on the box), it can be turned into a spying device by someone who gains physical access. ADVICE: Buy a 2017-model Echo (with "02"). If you have an older model, restrict physical access to it.

— A new variant on the Svpeng Android banking Trojan that logs your keystrokes along with its primary goal of stealing your money. The variant infects even "fully-updated devices with the latest Android version and all security updates installed" — unless the device's default language is Russian. The Trojan poses as an Adobe Flash Player app on third-party app stores. ADVICE: Stick to Google Play, and install an Android antivirus app.

Fake IRS/police scams: These are phone calls or text messages from people who claim you've broken the law or owe back taxes. They'll say you face immediate arrest unless you pay a fine, often via Western Union or a similar service. Advice: Ignore them and report any such calls to the real police.

Fake antivirus: These mostly arrive as pop-up messages in a web browser. They'll say your computer is infected, and that you need to purchase and install an antivirus product immediately.Advice: Don't do it — the products are almost always bogus, and some might actually be malicious.

Protect Yourself

Use these pages and tools to keep your data, privacy and identity safe.