Protect your Information & Identity

If someone or a company requests personal information, understand how and why they are using it. By law, you have the right to refuse to disclose this information.

When you must share confidential personal information in order to receive services, never use email, SMS messages or IMs to transmit it.

Avoid printing this information on shared printers.

Insist on giving this information in person or over the phone so that it can be entered directly into the centrally protected systems that the organization uses to permanently store the data – not in the personal inboxes or smart phones.

Examples of Public networks are Wifi connections at coffee shops or other public spaces such as airports, cafes, hotels. Do not conduct important transactions when on a public network. This includes the CityTech-Wifi wireless network which is unsecured.

Create strong, unique passwords/passphrases and store them securely. Use Multi-factor Authentication where possible to reduce the risk of compromised credentials. If you suspect that an account has been compromised, change your passwords immediately. Never use the same password for multiple accounts, especially important accounts such as email, ecommerce or banking.

Malicious software can create entry points into your system that allow hackers to extract your data and even allow them to log keystrokes to acquire passwords and other sensitive information that you may type. In addition, physical theft can allow unauthorized individuals to access your personal information.

Secure your devices with encryption, updates and antivirus software to secure your identity.

Before entering your credentials, look for signs of an encrypted Web page: key identifiers include a URL for the website’s login page that begins with “https” and a green padlock icon somewhere in or near your URL bar.

Change passwords and security questions on any accounts that you believe have been compromised. Most organizations have a special hotline, mailing address, or form for reporting suspected abuse.

If you believe your SSN may have been stolen and used to open accounts visit the FTC’s Identity Theft Web site for information on contacting credit bureaus, closing accounts and filing complaints in the case of identity theft. In some cases, you can and should file a report with your local police department.

Shred documents with sensitive information and securely wipe devices before gifting, recycling or disposing of them.

Be mindful what you type of information you are sharing on social media. If that information is available for people to see, you may want to choose different security questions or give fake but memorable answers.