Tips to Manage your Privacy

Your devices make it easy to connect to the world, but they can also share a lot of information about you and your friends and family. On this year's National Data Privacy Day, it's a great time to take steps to protect your privacy and limit how you share your information with others.

Here are some tips from the National Cybersecurity Alliance to help you get started:

• Know what’s on your devices. Do an inventory of all your applications, and consider deleting what you don’t use.
• Keep your devices and apps up to date. Your mobile devices are just as vulnerable as your desktop or laptop computer. Having the most up-to-date browsers, operating systems, and apps is the best defense against viruses, malware, and other online threats.
• Check the privacy settings. It’s a good idea to periodically check the privacy settings of your apps, devices, and online accounts. 
• Secure your devices with strong passphrases, passcodes, or touch ID features. These security measures can help protect your information if your devices are lost or stolen.
• Consider turning on two-factor authentication.  For your accounts that support it, such as banking, private email, and social media accounts, turn on two-factor authentication to help protect your account even if your password is compromised. At PSU, you can protect your Odin account with Duo Two-Factor Authentication.
• Be careful with Wi-Fi hotspots. Public wireless networks and hotspots are not secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your mobile device while you are connected. Limit what you do on public Wi-Fi, and avoid signing in to key accounts like email and banking on these networks. By connecting to PSU’s Virtual Private Network (VPN), you can protect your personal data that is sent over the internet when you are off campus.

For more tips and information, check out the FTC’s resources on privacy and online security.