SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Ugh… needing to be even more careful and keep a check on computers and accounts…

So a couple of people I know have had whopping unauthorized credit card charges in the past
Few weeks.

I have been having attacks trying to get into my emails and sync my laptop

The laptop has always had antivirus. It’s been scanned etc

I have taken precautions such as 2 step
Authorizations, changing some login info, making sure no browsers are saving my passwords etc

But I am wondering what’s up and what people need to do to protect themselves?

I got hacked recently. Someone got into my accounts online and tried to empty the, and send the cash to themself. The companies emailed me to say they weren't going to complete the transfers unless I called them.

It took me a while, but I did the following:

1) immediately changed my passwords and email addresses for financial accounts
2) new cable modem; I changed the default admin ID and password.
3) new router with perpetual license for internet security in the router; I changed the default ID and password. (My old router ran current open source firmware, but it was old.)
4) did online free scans offered by a number of companies - multiple scans by multiple companies
5) the Internet Security already installed in my devices was recommended by objective reviewers, so I just keep that current

I can't name the companies I used because it violates the no soliciting rule. If you ID some companied you'd like comments on, name 'em and see what SIers think of 'em.

People are the weakest link in cyber security. Its why social engineering is a thing (every big hack has involved it). I work in the IT space and one of my co-workers (who should know better) infected his work laptop by clicking on a link that was masquerading as an internal email...

If people want to protect themselves they need to change their behavior's when it comes to the internet. There are options that are available.

For instance, my card company allows me to create a one time use credit card number to make purchases on line.
Always use a credit card for online purchases. Never use your debit or bank account.
Don't use the same password on every website.
Don't click on email links, even from people that you know.
Use 2 factor authentication.
Don't use public Wi-Fi. Ever.
Don't leave network devices unconfigured. That leaves the admin password available for any one to find in a 2 sec google search. Most of the things you can do are common sense.
Stop using information I can pull from Facebook or LinkedIn as the answers to your security questions.

Unfortunately, none of that will protect you when a your bank, or other organization that has your information, gets hacked. Anti-Virus isn't needed unless you are a business (because employee will violate even the most common sense things), or participating in high risk internet activity.

The scammers are good and getting better everyday. I 'almost' fell victim to the IRS scam but felt that ...'tingling, wait a minute' feeling/warning in my mind.

Lazy, disgusting people and SO hard to be caught and prosecuted.