PROTECTING YOUR DATA AND DEVICES

PROTECTING YOUR DATA & DEVICES

Contributed by Hargray

In today’s digital age, our devices hold a wealth of information. Unfortunately, there is room for error when storing essential documents and information on your devices. If you’ve experienced the pain of losing critical data or having an account hacked, you know taking a few extra steps to secure them is worth it. Here are some ways to protect your data and devices from getting lost or compromised.

Surge Protectors

Swap out your power strip for a surge protector. A surge protector may look like a power strip, but it protects your computer from a power surge or spike. A power spike or power surge can shorten the life of your computer, wipe out all your data, or destroy your system. Consider using a surge protector to safeguard all high-end devices.

Update Your Password

To secure your Wi-Fi router, change the admin username and password. Since most routers ship with a default password, hackers can get in and make changes with almost no effort as long as they know your router model. Change your router’s SSID (the name that shows up when you try to connect to it), as well. Like usernames and passwords, routers are shipped with default SSIDs, making it easier for hackers to get in. So, get creative and rename them something unique.

Blocking Spam Message & Callers

One of the methods scammers use to collect your personal information is pop-up surveys offering valuable gifts for a few minutes of your time. While it appears official, with simple multiple-choice questions, a choice of rewards, and an order form, these phishing scams may infect your computer with a virus or compromise your credit card information. Identify and block all spam messages. Always contact the business at their official contact address or number to confirm authenticity.

Back Up Your Data

Our devices hold critical documents and priceless memories. Secure an archive of your important information on a hard drive so that you can restore your device quickly and easily in the event of data loss. Perform regular backups either manually or automatically to ensure your archive is up to date.