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As our lives move increasingly online, whether that be shopping, banking, communicating, and working, protecting your personal information has never been more important. The good news is that a few straightforward practices can help significantly reduce your risk.
Here are some essential tips to help protect your personal information:
Create strong, unique passwords
Use strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts. The best approach is to create a passphrase a sequence of random words that's memorable to you but difficult for others to guess. Think "correct horse battery staple" rather than "P@ssw0rd123".
If you use the same password across multiple accounts, a single breach could compromise everything. One password being exposed shouldn't become a skeleton key to your digital life.
Password managers can help by generating and storing complex passwords for you. Many devices and browsers now have these built in, creating strong passwords and remembering them so you don't have to.
Enable multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires multiple methods to verify your identity before you can access an account. This typically means something you know (your password) plus something you have (a code sent to your phone or generated by an app).
MFA adds a critical extra layer of protection. Even if someone obtains your password, they still can't access your account without that second factor. Enable it wherever it's offered, particularly for email, banking, and social media accounts.
Keep your software updated
Software providers and operating systems regularly release updates that patch security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, and protect against emerging threats. These updates are your first line of defence against known exploits.
Most systems can check for updates automatically and apply them in the background. Check your settings to enable automatic updates where possible. Consider installing reputable antivirus software for additional protection against malware.
Stay alert to suspicious communications
Scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics to trick you into revealing personal information or clicking malicious links. Be wary of emails requesting urgent action, unexpected calls from financial institutions, requests to update banking details, or offers that seem too good to be true.
Take your time. Don't let anyone pressure you into immediate action. If something feels off, it probably is. Rather than clicking links in emails, navigate directly to the company's official website or call them using the number listed there.
Protect your privacy on social media
Consider making your social media accounts private and be selective about what you share publicly. Personal details like your birthday, home address, children's schools, or holiday dates can all be valuable to criminals.
Photos can reveal more than you think. That picture of your new house keys might show enough detail for someone to copy them. A photo of your boarding pass contains your booking reference. Before posting, ask yourself what information you're inadvertently sharing.
Back up your data regularly
Regular backups protect you from losing precious photos, important documents, and personal information due to hardware failure, theft, or ransomware attacks.
Use cloud storage services or external hard drives to maintain copies of your important data. Many cloud services offer automatic backup, making this protection effortless. Following the 3-2-1 rule is ideal: three copies of your data, on two different types of storage media, with one copy stored offsite.
Be cautious on public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks in cafés, airports, and hotels are convenient but can be risky. Hackers can more easily intercept information transmitted over these networks.
Avoid accessing sensitive accounts or entering passwords on public Wi-Fi. If you must access confidential information, use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your connection. Save your online banking and shopping for when you're on a trusted network.
At EnergyAustralia we continue to stay vigilant against any threats, and we know how important it is to keep your account and personal information safe. We regularly review and update our security measures however everyone needs to play their part and we encourage you to remain alert to scams and online risks.
You can find out more in our online security FAQ’s or go to: Online security | EnergyAustralia or go to the EnergyAustralia website and search online safety.
