How to protect your personal data on the Internet?

Our personal data is precious and needs to be protected from numerous computer malicious acts. Hacking, phishing, viruses of all kinds… In the digital era, many online hackers try in every way to steal your information, to defraud you or to usurp your identity.

Did you know ? Ransomware is malicious software that blocks access to computer or files by encrypting them. The goal ? Ask the victim to pay a ransom to regain access to his equipment. More and more French people are victims of it every year.

How to protect your personal data

To protect your personal data, here are the things to do:

• Regularly apply security updates to the system and software installed on your device;
• Update the antivirus and configure your firewall, ensuring that it only allows legitimate tools to pass;
• Never open e-mails from unknown senders or from a known sender whose message seems suspicious to you;
• Be careful about the information and documents you share on social networks by limiting the confidentiality of your accounts;
• Perform frequent full virus scans of your devices;
• Do not use public and unsecured Wi-Fi networks;
• Secure your mailbox and your personal accounts with double authentication;
• Download only files from a trusted source;
• Do not install any software or applications that are pirated or whose origin you do not know;
• Do not click on a malicious attachment or link received in emails;
• Also try not to browse and buy on compromised, unsecured or illicit sites (counterfeit sites, pornographic sites, etc.);
• Use complex and unique passwords. Also remember to change them regularly;
• Turn off your devices when not in use.

Did you know ? The “https” protocol and the padlock in the address bar indicate that the site is secure

To avoid losing your data

We have all had the experience of losing, breaking or having stolen a device in which a large number of documents were stored. However, many documents must be kept, and this for many years as is the case with invoices or payslips, even dematerialized.

To prevent this situation from occurring, do not hesitate to make frequent backups, via Clouds or external storage. This solution makes it possible to permanently store all of its documents, by creating copies of this data on other media, such as a hard disk, a memory card or a USB key.

However, it is essential to ensure the security of your storage media and backups. To do this, the cybermalveillance.gouv.fr site reminds you to:

1. Disconnect storage systems from the computer network;
2. Protect backup devices from damage, loss and theft by placing them out of sight;
3. Protect your saved data by protecting access to your support with a unique password.

What to do in the event of a cyberattack?

If you are the victim of a cyberattack, do not pay the requested sums under any circumstances because you are not sure of recovering your personal data.

You must first file a complaint with the police or the gendarmerie on which you depend, by bringing the affected device. After filing a complaint, perform a full restore of your device, then reinstall a clean system and restore backup copies of lost files.

If you wish to be accompanied in your steps, you can get help from many trusted service providers likely to be able to provide you with their expertise and assistance. More information on cybermalveillance.gouv.fr and on the website of the association France Victimes.

LR