Rupert Jones
Another cyber-attack has hit the headlines – this one involving the personal data of hundreds of thousands of legal aid applicants in England and Wales.
It comes hard on the heels of recent cyber-attacks that caused huge disruption at Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, and has prompted fresh reminders for people to be extra-vigilant for any suspicious activity.
If you’re worried your data may have fallen into the wrong hands somehow, here are some tips for protecting yourself.
Change your password – and make sure it’s up to scratch
Always make sure you have strong passwords, and don’t use the same one on more than one account.
If you have had any dealings with a company or organisation that has suffered a cyber-attack, change the password that you use for that website or app immediately.
“Consider using a password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords,” says online security firm NordVPN.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is something you can set up for your email and other important online accounts to add an extra layer of security. It involves you providing something that only you can access – for example, a code sent to you by text message. You should turn 2FA on for every service that offers it.
Be very wary of unsolicited emails, phone calls or messages
In particular, don’t click on a link or attachment in an email, text message or social media post unless you are absolutely sure it is legitimate. It could take you to a fake website or contain malware designed to steal your personal information.
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