It is best to delete spam or dubious-looking emails without opening them. If you receive a questionable email from a friend or family member, it is best to contact that person and verify he or she sent it before opening the email or clicking on a link or attachment. Use secure devices. If possible, only access online accounts from your personal computer, tablet, or smartphone while using a secured Internet connection. Try to limit accessing personal accounts from public computers that could be infected with spyware or malware, or may use an unsecured Internet connection.
If you do use public computers, be sure to log out when you are finished. Create strong passwords. To reduce the chances of your online accounts being hacked, change your passwords frequently. In the event that one of your accounts is hacked, having different passwords for your other accounts reduces the likelihood of those accounts being accessed too.
Use multifactor authentication on your accounts. Multifactor authentication works like this: When you enter your password for your email account, for example, you are directed to a page that asks for a four-digit code. Your email provider then sends a unique, temporary code in a text message or to another email account.
You must enter the code, which expires after a short amount of time, to access your account. Many email providers, social media websites, and financial institutions now make it easy for users to set up multifactor authentication on their accounts. Although convenient, if your account is hacked, your payment information is more easily available to hackers. Sign up for account alerts. Many email providers and social media websites allow users to sign up for an email or text alert when your account is accessed from a new device or unusual location.
These email or text alerts can quickly notify you when an unauthorized person accesses your account and can help minimize the amount of time an unauthorized user has access to your information.
If you receive such an alert, login to your account immediately and change the password. If your computer or other device is hacked, disconnect it from the Internet and have it looked at and repaired by a trusted specialist.
Be cautious when calling telephone numbers for technical support specialists that you find online. It is often best to take the device to a physical repair shop, rather than trying to find a technician online. If you call a technician online, be sure to research the company and its phone number to be sure it is legitimate.
Change your passwords. After getting a device repaired or cleaned of viruses, you should change all the passwords for any accounts you accessed using the device. The malicious software that was removed from your computer may have transmitted your passwords to an attacker, granting the hacker easy access to your information.
Similarly, if one of your online accounts has been hacked, be sure to change your password immediately. A hacker may also change your password, denying you access to the account. If you are unable to access your account, contact the website directly and it can assist you in restoring your account. Monitor financial accounts.
If a hacked account contains financial information, contact your bank or credit card company immediately, letting it know that your account may be compromised.
Go into the security settings of your computer and look for "firewall" settings. Once there, make sure it is turned on and that it is blocking incoming connections. If you have a wireless network, your router should have a firewall as well.
Enable a firmware password. If your computer has the option available, require users to enter a password before rebooting from a disk or entering single-user mode. A hacker cannot get around a firmware password unless they have physical access to your machine, though you'll need to be extremely careful not to forget or lose the password since it is immensely difficult to reset. Use the arrow keys to select the password option, then enter your preferred password.
Disable remote access. You may need to access your computer remotely, or allow someone else to do so, such as if you've called tech support. However, you should keep it disabled by default and only turn it on for brief periods when you need it. If you have remote access enabled, you essentially leave an open door for hackers to get into your computer and steal your data. Install antivirus software on your computer.
Antivirus software recognizes and removes potentially harmful files and programs as soon as you download them. Windows Defender is a good choice for PCs, and it comes pre-installed on Windows 10 computers. Method 4. Use secured wireless networks.
Generally speaking, secured networks require you to enter a password before you can connect to them. In some locations such as airports or coffee shops , you can request the password after purchasing an item. If the wireless network isn't secured, your computer will let you know before connecting. In some operating systems, there will also be an exclamation mark next to the network's name.
If you have to use the internet but don't have access to a secure network, change your passwords immediately the next time you log into a secure network. If you have a wireless network at home, make sure it's secure and encrypted.
Keep in mind that wireless routers typically aren't secure by default — you have to set this up yourself. Download programs only from reputable sites. This methodology goes for sites you visit on an unsecured connection as well. Learn to recognize fake websites. Some sites will attempt to steal your login information by posing as another site this is known as a phishing scam ; you can spot these sites by looking for extra or missing letters, dashes between words, and extra symbols.
For example, a site masquerading as Facebook might have faceboook. Sites which display dashes between multiple words in the site name itself the words in between "www" and ".
Avoid file sharing services. Not only does file sharing often violate intellectual property laws, but file-sharing websites are crawling with hackers.
You may think you're downloading the latest hit song or a new movie, but the file actually is a virus or malware in disguise. Many of these files are designed in such a way that the virus or malware hidden within won't be picked up by anti-virus software screenings.
The virus won't infect your system until you try to play the file. Shop only on secure sites. The "s" indicates the site is secure. Sites without that won't encrypt or protect your data.
Keep personal information off social media. You may think you're just sharing with friends but revealing too much about yourself and your life on social media can make you vulnerable to hackers.
Share personal information directly with people who need to know rather than openly posting on social media. I gave my computer to someone to fix it, and now they claim they can see what I'm doing from their home. Is this possible, and if so, how can I stop it? They hacked your computer, they connected the camera to some of their devices. Contact the police. Not Helpful 34 Helpful Get a wired mouse. Wireless mice are hackable, as they have a virtual wire and communicate through a signal that could be intercepted, whereas wired mice have a physical wire and they can't be hacked.
If you are already using a wired mouse, then someone has control of your computer remotely. You should probably invest in a good anti-virus software to make sure that your computer is clean of all viruses. If this doesn't do anything, then you are better off factory-resetting your computer. Not Helpful 9 Helpful It's possible to be hacked any time you're downloading files, so if an online game requires that, then it's possible. However, it is not likely that this would happen by just playing a game online.
Just make sure any files are being downloaded from the original source on a secure website. Making sure your router and network are secure will also help reduce your risk of being hacked. Not Helpful 5 Helpful Yes, but if there are instructions to "click the link" don't do it. Delete the email immediately. Not Helpful 19 Helpful Someone threatened to DDOS me, have me swatted, and that I'm going to have no money in my bank account. What do I do? Not Helpful 29 Helpful Aaron Wyant.
Firewalls need to be monitored and updated. Every day, new software comes out and when you install that software, it will update the firewall. If the software opens a hole in the firewall and the firewall does not update Windows update sometimes can help , then the hackers can get in. Even Windows can have holes in it if you don't update.
If they call you out of the blue, don't let them in. There are a lot of companies that will call you and say they are with Microsoft and then ask you to let them on your computer.
Never do that. The only time would be if YOU called Microsoft and asked for support. For example, if your PC won't activate with Windows 10, you call them and they will ask to log in to your PC to run a program to fix it. Not Helpful 20 Helpful My disk space goes up and down and I think someone is storing things on my computer.
How do I stop this? It's normal. Sometimes your computer stores some cookies, temporary files, and junk files on your hard drive. Not Helpful 24 Helpful Someone may have your wifi hot spot password and logging in from your wireless network.
Maybe they are getting in from the outside because your Password on your router was never changed or even setup. Keep your phone off your networks no wifi until you figure it out. Social media allows sharing of all aspects of life, but it's important to control who has access to the information you share.
Information thieves can use social media postings to gather information and then use the information to hack into other accounts or for identity theft. To protect yourself, make use of privacy settings to limit the visibility of personal posts to your personal networks, and restrict the amount of information you share with the general public.
Even if you make all the right moves, your data may be stolen from a company you trusted to keep it safe. If you find that your personal information has been accessed without your authorization, take steps to protect yourself.
Place a fraud alert on your credit file. Review your annual credit reports. And if you suspect your information has been breached, put a freeze on your credit file to prevent fraudsters from opening new accounts in your name. For more information, see the Attorney General's information sheets on identity theft. Don't let your children risk your family's privacy. Make sure they know how to use the internet safely. For younger children, install parental control software on devices that limits the websites kids can visit.
To protect your children's future credit, consider setting up a credit freeze for your child. But remember: no software can substitute for parental supervision. Consumer information from the California Department of Justice, available at www. Practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
Computer security resources from the non-profit Electronic Privacy Information Center. This fact sheet is for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice or as policy of the State of California. If you want advice on a particular case, you should consult an attorney or other expert. The fact sheet may be copied, if 1 the meaning of the copied text is not changed or misrepresented, 2 credit is given to the California Department of Justice, and 3 all copies are distributed free of charge.
Skip to main content. Search Search. Home About. Programs See All Programs. Keep your device secure Make sure to download recommended updates from your device's manufacturer or operating system provider, especially for important software such as your internet browser. Keep up-to-date Update your system, browser, and important apps regularly, taking advantage of automatic updating when it's available. Antivirus software Antivirus software protects your device from viruses that can destroy your data, slow down or crash your device, or allow spammers to send email through your account.
Antispyware software Spyware is software installed without your knowledge or consent that can monitor your online activities and collect personal information while you're online.
Firewalls A firewall is a software program or piece of hardware that blocks hackers from entering and using your computer. Use strong protection Making use of complex passwords and strong methods of authentication can help keep your personal information secure.
Choose strong passwords Protect your devices and accounts from intruders by choosing passwords that are hard to guess. Use stronger authentication Many social media, email, and financial accounts allow the use of stronger authentication methods.
Protect your private information While checking email, visiting websites, posting to social media, or shopping, pay attention to where you click and who you give your information to.
Be careful what you click Phishing attacks—where hackers send seemingly genuine messages to trick you to hand over personal information—are becoming more sophisticated. Shop safely When shopping online, check out the website before entering your credit card number or other personal information.
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