Protecting Your Digital Identity: Tips and Measures against Cybercrimes

The advancement of technology and online activities have contributed to the increase in cybercrimes. According to the High Tech Crime Investigation Division (Divindat) of the National Police of PeruIn 2022, 3,946 cybercrime complaints were registered and only in January 2023 they received 319 cybercrime complaints. In addition, the institution affirms that one of the most frequent and reported crimes is identity theft.

Renzo Barturén, academic head of the Certus Information Technology careers, warns of the need to strengthen online security to prevent our digital identity from being violated. “Many digital platforms are designed to collect personal, financial data, among others. The entry of this information could increase the risks in the security and privacy of the digital identity. For this reason, it is important that authorities, companies and users take measures to improve the protection of systems, increase awareness of cyber threats and promote education in digital security.”, he indicated.

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Likewise, the Certus specialist adds that these cybercrimes are worrisome since they cause both economic and emotional damage to the victims. Among the most frequent risks are: loss of money, damage to a person’s reputation or identity theft. For this reason, Barturén provides six measures to protect your digital identity:

• Browse safe websites: When providing your details on a website, be sure to check both its privacy policy and its level of security. The presence of “https” in the URL indicates a secure connection with encryption technology, making it more difficult for cybercriminals to access your data.
• Set up your digital privacy properly: It is convenient to adjust the privacy options in your social networks or other platforms of use. This measure reduces the chances of information ending up in the wrong hands. In this sense, it is important that before registering on a website, you carefully review its privacy policy, so you will avoid impersonation problems. Remember that deleting online content does not necessarily mean that it is completely deleted from the servers.
• Use strong passwords: Create strong passwords that contain a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using obvious personal information and never share your passwords with anyone. Also, use different passwords for each online account to prevent a single compromise from putting all your accounts at risk.
• Take care of your mobile devices: Protect the information on your phone, tablet or other mobile devices with passwords or biometric authentication systems, such as fingerprints or facial recognition. On the other hand, before installing an app, make sure the provider is trustworthy and check the permissions it asks for. Some applications that seem harmless could contain spyware or malware.
• Avoid clicking on suspicious emails and links: Do not open emails from unknown senders and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Cyber ​​criminals use phishing emails to obtain personal information. Always check the legitimacy of emails and links before interacting with them.
• Protect your personal information online: Limit the amount of personal information you share on social media and other websites. The more information you reveal, the more vulnerable you can be to possible attacks. Set your privacy settings appropriately on your social media profiles, and consider using more restrictive settings to protect your personal information.

Finally, the Certus expert recommends regularly reviewing and updating the backup copies of the operating system of your devices, applications and cloud storage services. This will help recover your information in case of loss or theft. “Protecting digital identity is an ongoing process. It is necessary to keep up to date on the latest digital security practices and cybersecurity education in order to protect ourselves in the technological environment.”, he finished.

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