How to safeguard our personal and financial data?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Nowadays internet becomes a common tool for everyone to connect and communicate each other throughout the world. Most of time, we will rely on computer to save our personal data and using online financial services to do financial transactions such as e-banking in order to safe time. Moreover, when we register to become a member of particular website, we need to fill in some personal information.

The information is including name, date of birth, gender, address, telephone, e-mail address, occupation and interests. “Personal Financial Information” means any record containing a customer of a financial institution, whether in paper, electronic, or in other form, that is handled by behalf of the institution or its affiliates.

When we make the online purchase, the company will record consumer information records such as names, addresses, phone numbers, bank and credit card account numbers and et-cetera. Therefore, do you think the safeguards that you make are sufficient enough to protect your confidential data?

There are some suggestions that for you to safeguard your data:
i. Password protect
Use a strong password or pass-phrase to protect your access data. Do not reveal any personal information or particularly passwords to anyone. After using any of the Financial Data Center or member services, must remember to log out properly before leaving the Financial Data Center.
ii. Install and update antispyware and antivirus programs
Install an antivirus program such as Symantec and Norton antivirus, AVG antivirus or other more in order to protect yourself against viruses and Trojan horses that may steal or modify the data on your own computer . In order for the well protection, you must must sure to keep your virus definitions up to date.

iii. Install a firewall

A firewall is a software program designed to allow good people in and keep bad people out. Most new computers come with firewalls integrated into their operating systems. If you have an older computer or using dial-up, you may need to buy a firewall separately and install it yourself.

iv. Regularly scan your computer for spyware

Spyware or adware hidden in software programs may affect the performance of your computer and give attackers access to your data. Use a legitimate anti-spyware program to scan your computer and remove any of the infected files. Install antispyware and antivirus software. Symantec, Norton and Avg antivirus are popular software use by computer users. Its clean computer and protect personal information, financial data and etc.

v. Avoid accessing financial information in public

Prevent form logging on to check your bank balance when working from a coffee shop that offers wireless access. Although the systems are convenient but we do not know how powerful their firewalls are.

There are also few approaches on how to safeguard our personal and financial data:

If share information with another user or use internet services on a public computer such as school computer lab or Internet cafe, must remember to close the browser window. That is to prevent other users from reading your personal information and mail.

Avoid using passwords that are easy for someone to guess.

Web owner can use access control mechanism which limits actions that can be performed by an authenticated person or group. It determines who can use the network resource and what resource can be used.

Keep your card close. Whether you are out shopping or eating out, watch how clerks handle your card. Then take your receipt with you and never throw it away in a public place.

Pay attention when using an ATM and keep your eyes peeled for anyone who seems a little too interested in your transactions. Use your free hand to shield the keypad when entering your PIN. Besides that, banker can add on fingerprint scanning on ATM machine.

keep credit cards to a minimum. Only keep the ones you actually use and destroy any that you no longer use by shredding them.


All people should cooperate between each other to prevent reveal our own or consumer personal and financial data to others people. So, by preventing it will helps us be more secure when we using internet service or doing others transaction process online.

References:

http://ecommercesite.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/how-to-safeguard-our-personal-and-financial-data/

http://amazingcommerce.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/how-to-safeguard-our-personal-and-financial-data/

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)