Thousands of new viruses launch daily to steal your data. McAfee's Robert Siciliano explains why 62% of people skip PINs on phones, and walks through essential steps: use strong passwords, download apps only from official stores, avoid phishing texts, install antivirus software, and stick to password-protected Wi-Fi.
Well, if there's a new piece of technology under the Christmas tree this year, listen to this: you want to make sure those devices are protected from the digital bad guys. NBC 10's Vince Lattanzio is here now to tell you how to protect your data. Vince?
Well, Tracy, gift givers plan to spend $252 on electronics this holiday. That's according to a survey by the Consumer Electronics Association, and the top devices are expected to be smartphones and tablets. That means new users learning new technology, which can leave you vulnerable to attacks, says McAfee security expert Robert Siciliano.
Thousands of viruses are being created every day, essentially, uh, to glean your information off of your device, uh, to spy on you, to get your usernames and your passwords, essentially to get your personal identifying information.
Now here's what Siciliano says you need to do for smartphones and tablets. First thing to do is set up a PIN or a password. McAfee says 62% of U.S. Most smartphone users don't use one. That's just dangerous. Also, beware of downloading third-party apps, which can be an easy way for bad guys to get into your device. That means only download apps from reputable app stores like Google's Play App Store or the iTunes Store. And scammers may text you requesting personal information. Do not respond. Now, if you're giving or get a new computer, protect it with antivirus software. That's pretty obvious. Plus, McAfee says to make sure that you use a secure web browser that's up to date, like Safari, Chrome, or Internet Explorer. McAfee says that more than 43 million suspicious websites were found, sites that could sneak in a virus if you click on the wrong thing. Also, beware of scareware pop-ups. Those are pop-up windows that say that you have a virus and the only way to get rid of it is to buy software right then and there. Siciliano says that these are just a scam. And make sure you only connect to secure Wi-Fi networks. We can't say this enough. Those are networks that require a password to get in. Using unsecure Wi-Fi could leave your data open to being stolen or the computer to be hacked. And secure Secure Wi-Fi is really a must for any device. Plus, it's always important to back up your data on a regular basis, something many of us don't do often enough. That way you can easily restore your device if someone hacks into it or even if the memory fails. Tracy?
Always a good reminder. Thanks, Vince. Well, with just 13 days
