Protecting Your Data

With the recent security breech of Epsilon, a division of Alliance Data Systems Corp, I am amazed that the average computer user doesn’t take more precautions to protect themselves.

Epsilon holds the names, email addresses, marital status, credit data, and other personal information of 235 million people. It mines the names for personal shopping habits, interests, life changes such as marriage or moving, and credit capacity, and sends out targeted marketing pitches. If you get a 30 percent discount offer from Target, to take just one example, it probably came from Epsilon. The company broadcasts 40 billion email messages annually, to consumers it considers most likely to buy.

Any computer can be “hacked”, but there are several things you can do to make it more difficult to access your personal data. Here are some ideas you can easily implement

• Install A Personal Firewall
• Change Your Password
• Lock Your Mobile Devices and Laptops
• Limit Your Personal Information on Social Networks

For more suggestions, take a look at this article from CNN Money Watch “Email Breach: 8 Ways To Protect Yourself”