Cyber hygiene: 6 tips to keep your information safe online

Cyber hygiene refers to best practices you can adopt and precautions you can take to better protect yourself online and avoid becoming a victim of fraud. While scammers might use any number of tricks to try to steal your personal information, there are security practices you can follow to help you stop them in their tracks. Here are a few of them.

1. Use strong passwords
2. Protect your personal and banking information
3. Think carefully about what you share on social media
4. Browse securely
5. Shop safely online
6. Learn how to spot online financial fraud

A strong password should have between 10 and 14 characters and include both lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and special characters. Never share your passwords with anyone, even people you trust.

Don't pick something that could be easy to guess, like the name of your pet or a family member. Instead, memorize a coded phrase that only you will know. For example, think up a secret sentence and use the first letters of each word and some numbers. That way, your password will only make sense to you.

Use different passwords for all of your accounts and devices, so that if one of your passwords is ever compromised, the damage will be limited to just one area.

Wherever possible, enable 2-step verification (also called "2-factor authentication") to add an extra layer of security. With 2-step verification, you log in to your account using your password plus a second method, such as a one-time security code sent by email or text message. 

Unless asked for in an official context, don't give out personal or confidential information like your full name, address, phone number, social insurance number (SIN) or date of birth, or the details of your banking, financial or other accounts. Some things, like passwords, should never be shared with anyone—even in an official context.

Think about who's asking for your information, whether they really need it and what the circumstances are. Take a moment to ask yourself these questions to get a better read on the situation. Some examples of useful questions include: Why does this person need this information? Can I just show them my ID instead of handing it over? Do they really need to keep a copy of my information? How will my information be protected? If you're ever in doubt, search for answers from reliable sources or contact the company to confirm that the request is genuine.

It's also a good idea to ask yourself these questions before sharing information voluntarily in other situations, such as entering a contest or posting on social media.

Before you fill out forms online, including when you buy something, make sure the website uses an HTTPS protocol to properly protect your data. To find out, look for an icon that looks like a lock in the address bar of your web browser. The address should also start with the letters "https," where the "s" means "secure."

When connecting to the internet, make sure to use secure Wi-Fi networks whenever possible. If you're using a public network, never share personal details or log in to accounts that contain your information. While practical, public networks can be accessed by anyone, even people with bad intentions.

Social engineering is a technique used by scammers to manipulate you, earn your trust and get you to share confidential information with them. Information shared on social media can be a goldmine for criminals, providing details to make their tactics seem more believable.

Every detail about yourself that you make public is like a puzzle piece for criminals. If they put together enough of them, they can get a detailed picture of your life. They can use that information to steal your identity, create fake websites or send bogus but believable emails that look like they were sent by you.

Be careful not to post personal or confidential information, even by accident or in a photo, for example a picture that shows your licence plate or home address.

Be wary of games, surveys and quizzes on social media, even if the questions and answers seem harmless. People can use the information you provide to set up scams or try to guess your passwords or the answers to your security questions.

For all of your social media accounts, go through your security and privacy settings to limit who has access to your information and what you post. The default settings don't usually provide much security, giving just about anyone the opportunity to learn a lot about you. 

Some websites as well as cybercriminals can use cookies or specialized software to collect information about your online habits, such as what pages you visit, what you search for, what you buy online, and even who your internet provider is and roughly where you're located.

Using a virtual private network (VPN) is a way to encode your connection data and protect your privacy. It disguises your IP address, which makes it harder to geolocate you.

You should also regularly delete your browsing data to minimize your online footprint and reduce the risk of being spied on or targeted by a cyberattack.

And make sure to keep your work and personal lives separate online. If your employer gives you access to an email address, computer or phone, avoid using them for personal use. And vice versa: don't use your personal devices to share work-related information.