Consumer Update: Cyber Security

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• How To Keep Online Information Safe From Hackers

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  News of Yahoo’s recently disclosed data breach has once again raised the question of what consumers could be doing to ensure their online information is protected.

  Information was collected from about 500 million Yahoo accounts including names, emails, phone numbers, birthdays, passwords and security questions.

  What’s even more troubling than the information taken is the amount of time between the breach in 2014 and the notification to consumers in September, said Sandy Chalmers of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

  “We found that cyber thieves, once they have a username/password combination, will throw that against (other) credentials on Amazon, email and websites, and because so many people use the same combination, they may be able to access your banking information or email account,” Chalmers said.

  So what can someone do to protect their online information?

  Using a different username for each account can help reduce online risks, Chalmers said.

  She also recommended consumers adopt multi-factor authentication whenever possible, such as your cell phone requiring a person’s fingerprint and password before being able to change an online account’s password.

  Using passwords with a combination of symbols, numbers and letters is also a good idea to amp up a password’s strength. The most common username is “123456” and password is “password,” Chalmers said.

  “Anytime you use a weak password, you’re increasing your risk of a data breach exponentially,” Chalmers said.

  October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and DATCP released several other tips earlier this week on how consumers can protect their online information. A consortium of tech companies and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also offer tips on protecting online information at www.staysafeonline.org.