Staying Safe OnLine

I have been in IT for a long time, and I have learned many valuable lessons; some were very hard. The following is a list of my actual suggestions. Anyone starting in Cyber or just online, Please take these to heart. I know that I have a few public accessible licenses, so there is no way I can stay 100% protected online.

• Everyone should have a separate email address for their friends (people you know IRL), a different email for your online brand, an email for the things you do online, internet shopping, and site registration emails. Not including your corporate or professional email address. 
  • If you are going to do a cyber path or online personality, I suggest you have different and separate personal and online profiles.
  • Most email providers allow for different email aliases, one account with multiple names; while this will not get if the account gets compromised, it will allow you to change if needed.
• Reduce your overall web presence. Restrict what accounts you have and who links to you on those accounts with your real name and personality.
• Have a different brand account and email.
  • There is some notable exception.
    • LinkedIn – This is who you are, professional – This is your online resume. 
      • Keep this updated with your experience, post your ongoing process on certs, posts and education.
      • Promote and Network on LinkedIn to sell yourself on your career journey!
• Be very careful what you post, comment on and show online; be sure to future proof your online presence. 
  • Your online presence will follow you forever.
  • Comments you make today might be socially acceptable at that time. That can change in a moment. 
    • Treat everyone with respect online; you never know who knows who, and all it takes is one bad post to prevent you from getting employment.
    • Be an adult.
• Remove the EXIF Data from your photo’s before posting them on Social Media.
  • EXIF data in your photo shows your location by latitude and longitude?
• Remove identifiable information from your photos,
  • Did you know someone can tell your location by what is in the photo?
    • For example, Menus in a photo can show any bad actor where you like to be?
  • Everyday items can pinpoint your location.
• Be very careful posting photos of you, your family, and your pets. 
  • These are out there forever. 
  • There are many bad actors out there. 
  • At least restrict access to this to people you actually know or trust.
• Don’t post information that can be used for social engineering; you don’t know who will have access to this in the future.
  •  While it could be fun to list all the places you have gone, what movies you have seen, or everything about your pets or kids, 
  • The hard truth is that this is very sellable to search engines and marketing groups. 
  • In addition, a bad actor can use this information to social engineer some items like your password, address, email, and photo number. 
  • You never know who else is looking at your info and profile.
  • Pay attention, say something online today about liking XXX, and suddenly you are flooded with ads on Facebook, Google, and emails about that exact item.
• Don’t give ANYONE – I mean ANYONE (even your IT and HelpDesk(s)) your actual password. 99% of the time, IT doesn’t need your password from you! 
  • If the help desk or professional needs it, we will change it and give you a new password.
  • If IT needs to log in as you, change your password to something complex and give that to us. 
  • Avoid giving out a password that has any identifiable similarity to any passwords you would use.