Online Identity Theft Prevention

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going online has become part of everyday life, whether it is for everyday activities such as shopping, sending email or paying bills, and managing your accounts. But data breaches, in all their forms, can potentially expose the personal information that we share online, putting consumers at risk of identity theft.

According to the 2017 Travelers Consumer Risk Index, 57% of Americans worry about online identity theft. Fortunately, there are steps that consumers can take, including not opening unsolicited emails and avoiding unsecure websites, to protect their personal information while online.

The following tips can help you learn how to help stay safe online:

Online Shopping

  • Research potential retailers to make sure they are reputable and have a secure network and website. Try to avoid buying from a site that does not have a secure socket layer (SSL) encryption installed. In order to do this, look for the ‘s’ at the beginning of a URL – HTTPS:// instead of HTTP:// – to help determine if a site is SSL secured.
  • Read the site’s privacy policy to learn how the personal information you provide will be used.
  • Use only one credit card for online purchases. Be sure to read statements when received to check for fraudulent or unknown charges or activity.
  • If you receive an email regarding sales or discounts from a particular retailer, log on directly to the official website for the business. Avoid linking to it from an unsolicited email.

Emails and Attachments

  • Do not send personal information in email or instant messages. Emails are out of your control once sent, and can be easily intercepted.
  • Do not click on links you receive by email or encounter online that are suspicious or from unknown sources. Only accept and click if it:
    • Comes from someone you know.
    • Comes from someone you have received mail from before.
    • Is something you were expecting.
    • Does not look odd with unusual spellings or characters.
    • Passes your anti-virus program test.
  • Be cautious of emails you receive regarding your financial accounts. If you are not sure of the email’s validity, contact your financial institution directly.

General Online Safety

  • Try to limit the personal information you put on the Internet. Social media sites can be good for networking, but identity thieves can use the information you share.
  • Remember to keep your Web browser up to date. This can help ensure the latest security features are installed.
  • Avoid storing personal information, account numbers and personal identification numbers on your computer.
  • Install firewall and anti-virus software. This can help protect you from exposure to malicious cyber attacks.
  • Choose strong passwords and keep them private.

 

Reposted with permission from the original author, © 2018 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

4 Ways Cyber Insurance Helps Protect Your Business

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any business that uses technology or collects data is at risk of a cyber attack, and the results can be catastrophic—one study suggests the average cost to rectify a data breach is now $7 million*. Without securing a dedicated cyber policy, most businesses likely do not have adequate insurance coverage following a data breach.

Cyber insurance can be essential in helping your company recover after a data breach, with costs that can include business disruption, revenue loss, equipment damages, legal fees, public relations expenses, forensic analysis and costs associated with legally mandated notifications. A lesser-known benefit of cyber insurance is the role it can play in protecting your company long before a breach occurs.

“At Travelers, we want to help you avoid a data breach in the first place,” explains Tim Francis, Travelers’ Enterprise Cyber Lead. “While that’s not always possible, by connecting companies to cyber resources to help learn about cyber risks, data security best practices and incident response planning, we can help companies prepare themselves to better respond to and withstand a data breach.”

Companies should create, implement and test a business continuity plan and an incident response plan. Also, companies should consider having a secondary system available for online access and ensure this system is tested regularly for functionality. Implementing an intrusion detection system on your network can help companies respond to attacks sooner.

Following are some ways that cyber insurance can provide coverage:

Lost Data

Companies are responsible for their online data, no matter where it is stored. Whether it is stored on your property, in an offsite data warehouse or in a third-party technology company cloud, you may be held liable if any personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI) gets exposed.

To help protect your company’s data, cyber professionals recommend you understand where all of your private or confidential information is stored. Create and test policies and procedures concerning the collection and storage of data, and have a document retention procedure in place to ensure you avoid keeping data you do not need.

If a breach does occur, a cyber policy can cover breach notifications and remediation expenses, subject to the applicable retention. It also can cover defense expenses such as responding to and cooperating with regulatory investigators.

Lost Devices

Today’s mobile workforce means that laptops and other mobile devices often leave the workplace premises and may be stolen or compromised, potentially exposing private or confidential data. While you cannot completely prevent theft or loss, your organization can take steps to protect and limit the amount of data on each device, such as implementing procedures for using effective passwords and mandating periodic changes. Avoid storing any private or confidential data on laptops. Or, if necessary, store only encrypted data or access it via a secure connection to a server.

If a breach does occur, a cyber policy can include Network and Information Security Liability coverage, which provides protection for failure to prevent unauthorized access to, or use of, data containing private or confidential information of others. The costs for a single lost laptop can include more than just the cost of the device, such as legal costs, investigation and miscellaneous expenses.

Notification Requirements

Notifying customers of a breach and other post-breach responses, which is mandated by law, can add up, averaging $1.72 million according to one survey of U.S. businesses.* As part of the a cyber policy, the carrier would refer the customer to a law firm to serve as counsel and breach coach and help reimburse those costs, subject to the applicable retention. An incident breach response vendor would also be recommended to handle customer notifications, in keeping with state laws when personal information is compromised.

Forensics

Computer forensics teams can determine the extent of a breach and whether private customer information may have been compromised. A cyber liability policy would reimburse the insured, subject to applicable retention, for computer forensic experts. The policy also could provide coverage for potential business loss and extra expenses that may occur during the period of business restoration.

Many carriers offer access to risk management services, cyber security experts and other resources to help prevent a data breach. Having cyber insurance can help prepare your company to respond effectively in the critical hours and days following a data breach.  Contact us today to discuss how cyber liability coverage can protect your business.

Source:  *Ponemon Institute 2016 Cost of Data Breach Study, The Travelers Indemnity Company.

This material does not amend, or otherwise affect, the provisions or coverages of any insurance policy or bond. It is not a representation that coverage does or does not exist for any particular claim or loss under any such policy or bond. Coverage depends on the facts and circumstances involved in the claim or loss, all applicable policy or bond provisions, and any applicable law. Availability of coverage referenced in this document can depend on underwriting qualifications and state regulations.

4 Social Media Tips for 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Internet and social media in particular have made it easy to share more of our personal lives with our friends. But, it’s also become easier to share with people we don’t even know.

Online privacy isn’t just about protecting your personal information (name, address and birthdate) to help prevent identity theft. It’s also about protecting you and your family from public embarrassment, from private conversations going public, and from stalking and bullying.

If you’re unsure whether you and your family are exposed or protected online, take a look at these four social media tips and adopt the ones that make sense for you. And, make this year more secure than last.

1.

Review the privacy and security settings on your social media accounts.

Take an hour or so to evaluate and update the privacy settings on all the social sites you use. Facebook will probably require the most attention, because there are so many ways to share personal information (maybe more than you’re aware of) and so many options for limiting access to your info. You can control who sees your posts, who posts to your timeline, who contacts you, who looks you up and whether search engines can link to your timeline.Review the privacy settings on your other social media accounts, too, from LinkedIn down to Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest.If you only use a site to connect with a small circle of friends, then you can probably select the most restrictive privacy settings for the greatest protection. For help, try these social media privacy setting tips from the Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin.

2.

Think twice about what you share online.

Sharing information about yourself is the whole point of social media. But, once you’ve shared online, it’s very hard to un-share. Certain information may always be available to someone who knows where to look. And, even if your accounts are private, someone in your network may share what you’ve posted with their own network. You can truly never know how far your posts may travel, so think twice before posting:

  • Your full birthdate. Share the month and day, if you like, but leave out the year you were born.
  • Photos with geotag information that may allow strangers to identify where they were taken and thus where you live or where your kids go to school. Check your smartphone camera settings to turn off geotagging ask Google for instructions, if needed.
  • The address or other identifying factors of your home, office or child’s school. Even a photo showing the license plate number of your new car could reveal too much.
  • Photos of other children unless you have their parents permission.
  • Your travel plans. Posting about your trip before you leave or while you’re gone lets others know your home is unoccupied.
  • Anything you wouldn’t want someone outside your network to read, such as a rant about your job or sensitive information about your work. Such posts have led to people getting fired.

3.

Do not allow strangers or untrustworthy people into your social networks

may be flattered by a pretty stranger’s interest, or blinded by your pursuit to reach 1,000 friends. But, it’s simply not safe until you know who they are and why they want to get closer to you.In a similar category are the casual acquaintances you just made at all those holiday parties. Let the relationships ripen before you give them access to your personal information. And, be careful about your real-life friends who connect with anyone and everyone via social media; your secrets may be available to strangers through them.

4.

Monitor your youngest children’s social media use and make the risks clear to your older children.

Children of all ages can be naïve or just careless about the impacts of online sharing. It’s hard for them to grasp that something they share online today could impact their college or job opportunities long after the post was made. Plus, they could be putting their personal safety at risk by sharing too much with the wrong person.Even once you allow them freer access online, it’s wise to monitor them until you feel confident in their decision making. Discuss frankly the risks that come from sharing too much, and the practices that reduce those risks. By staying involved, you can have an impact on how your teens use social media even when you’re not looking over their shoulder.

The Internet is a big place, and, while our own social networks may feel familiar and secure, they sometimes aren’t. So, connect and post with care, and adjust your privacy settings before sending that next Tweet.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance.
Top image by Flickr user Jason Howie used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.