Six simple steps you shouldn't forget
As part of the study, researchers observed the behavior of 10,500 people from around the world to get a "taste" of how costly online risks can be, as well as to make corresponding recommendations on how one can better protect oneself against them.
According to the same report, $23 billion was lost last year to "online risks" such as phishing, identity theft, viruses and data leaks.
The biggest cost – and arguably the biggest threat – was the damage done to professional reputation, which amounted to $4.5 billion per year.
See below how you can protect yourself from "Internet bad guys," according to Fox Van Allen's article in Techlicious.
1. Take responsibility for your personal visibility (and therefore reputation) online
If you can't understand how important this is, we'll just mention the case of Anthony Weiner, a former senator whose bid to be elected mayor of New York City... took a nosedive when lewd photos he allegedly sent to women were revealed. He claimed his Twitter account had been hacked, but when nearly half-naked photos of him in the Congressional gym were released... he was forced to drop out of the campaign.
According to the Microsoft report, restoring "professional reputation" cost respondents an average of $2,600.
The best way to protect yourself and your reputation is to take responsibility for your personal "presence" online and on social media.
2. Protect your devices… with a simple Pin
Think for a moment about all the personal information you have stored on your cell phone. Some people have personal contacts stored on it, others have banking details, while there are those who have collections of their own nude, private photos.
And yet, despite the risk of losing or having their mobile phone stolen, according to a Microsoft report, only 33% of users use a PIN to "lock" their device.
Even fewer (21%) use security applications.
These numbers show that a lot of sensitive, personal data is at risk of falling into the hands of... anyone.
The protection and security of mobile devices is something that can be done easily and at low cost.
3. Use "strong" passwords
Almost every account you create online requires a password, so it's no wonder that many users resort to the easy solution of using their pet's name, their date of birth, or the classic "1234" as a password.
Reduce your chances of falling victim to hackers by taking a little extra time to create a unique, long, and strong password. Additionally, never reveal your password to anyone for any reason.
4. Use social media wisely and safely
Social media encourages users more than ever to share everything with the online community.
This is of course useful for advertisers, but it can prove dangerous for them.
Have you ever wondered how easy it is for someone to "steal" your personal information from Facebook and create a "fake" identity? Or even worse, monitor your check-ins and tags and consequently know where you are at all times?
Social media security means privacy. It means keeping your personal data… personal.
Be sure to check your privacy settings on Facebook frequently to make sure you're not sharing anything with those you don't want to, such as your personal phone number.
Also check Google+, because while you may not be using it, it could be exposing your personal email… out there.
5. Keep your children safe
You may think you know everything about online safety, but are you sure the same applies to your child?
Try playing with them online. Talk about what they do when they are online and remind them that they should never share personal information.
Block websites you don't want your children to use with the help of similar programs. Make sure to do the same for mobile devices.
6. Protect your sensitive personal data
If you use online banking or any other form of online transaction, you should be extremely careful.
Do not access your accounts from public, free Wi-Fi as the risk of falling victim to hackers is particularly high.
Make sure to enter the corresponding URL by typing it yourself and not by following a link via email.
From the moment you log in to your personal account, make sure that transactions are encrypted (look for 'https').
