What does being cyber smart mean? Being cyber smart means that you are able to use the internet safely, securely, and productively. Using technology is important in our daily lives. Whether it is at home or school, computers are everywhere. Students might be using technology more than adults! However people of all ages can be cyber smart.
If you want to be cyber smart, you need to learn how to protect yourself online.
Beware of Imposters 
There are a lot of scammers on the internet, so it’s important to be aware of imposters. It’s important to be aware of who you are talking to online. Most importantly, don’t give out your personally identifiable information. There are a lot of people on the internet that will get personal information from you under the pretense of “needing” it in order for something to work (such as asking for your credit card number).
If you’re on Facebook, don’t accept every friend request. There are a lot of people online that will befriend everybody and then later ask them for money or personal information. A lot of the time they’ll pretend to be somebody else and start talking to their friends online with no direct way of verifying who they are.
Never give out your credit card information, especially on unsecured websites. There are lots of tricks online that will capture your bank information and steal money off of you. One trick is pretending to be somebody else during the transaction process (such as a pizza place). A company might offer to deliver a pizza for you, but the bill will be hundreds of dollars.
Stay Alert
It is important to always be vigilant on the internet. Cyber security can help you stay safe online. Always make sure that your passwords are secure, and you should use two factor authentication, which requires two forms of identification to log in during extra sensitive activities like banking.
You should always read the terms of service before you sign up for a site or application, because it will tell you what data is being collected and how it will be used. You should delete all the cookies on your computer after each browsing session because they are trackers that look at your activity to recommend sites suited to your interests.
Never open emails from unknown sources because they could be phishing scams. Phishing scams trick you into providing sensitive information by posing as a trustworthy website, for example by asking for your username and password which can then be used to access that site. If you get an email that says your account will be closed, do not click the link because it may look like a phishing scam but it is actually legit and you should change your password.
Safeguard Information 
To stay safe online, you must first know how to defend yourself. What makes you vulnerable online? Your email account is one of the easiest ways for someone to access your personal information. They do not even need your password; these cybercriminals can hack into your email without permission, which means they could also steal all of your contacts’ information.
Remember, you are your own first line of defense. You can protect against cybercriminals by making yourself harder to contact, deleting all emails that you do not recognize, and making sure your email account is secure.
Understand online safety rules . It is everyone’s responsibility to be safe on the internet. What are some good practices for staying safe online? Never share personal information on message boards or chat rooms. Do not download email attachments from users you do not recognize, even if it appears to be from somebody you know. Passwords protect every device you use for work or school, whether it is a phone or computer.
Do your research . If you are using the internet at work or school, you should know about all the risks that are associated with any online activity. If they offer you a gift card just for filling out a survey, this is usually a sign of fraud. Remember that if it is too good to be true, then it probably is not true.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be your grandson or granddaughter, and they say they are in trouble with the law, do not send them money. Do some research on the Internet to find out if their story is true. You might be able to confirm with other family members that your grandchild was involved in this kind of incident by looking up news articles about it. If you cannot find any information, contact law enforcement and the hospital where they claimed to have been arrested. This will ensure your safety and that your money will not go to someone who uses it for illegal activities.
Never Share Passwords 
It is very important that you protect yourself while using the Internet. Your personal information, passwords, and credit card numbers should be guarded at all times. Use strong passwords to access all of your accounts. Be careful when typing in passwords; don’t allow anyone to see what you’re typing. Also, avoid public places when paying for items with a debit card or credit card. Be aware of how much personal information you are sharing on social media platforms as well. You should never accept friend requests from people that you don’t know personally as they could end up stealing your identity and opening accounts in your name without your permission.
Never share your passwords or PINs with anyone. If you tell somebody your password, they can access everything that is linked to it such as your email and bank account. Even if someone thinks you’re just letting them borrow your phone for a moment, they can hold onto it and start entering their own information.*
You should always use the strongest security measure when entering your password online. Using numbers, special characters, and capital letters in unique combinations is what you need to do. Numbers should be placed in the beginning or end of the word, not in the middle where they can easily be guessed. Also, it is important that you use different passwords for the various accounts that you have. If someone guesses one of your passwords, they can access other accounts that could be harmful to you.
The Internet is a powerful tool, but it can be used against you. You have to take precautions and protect yourself from cyber criminals who can hack into your personal information and steal your identity. Contact Bayshore to keep you and your company safe before catastrophe strikes.