As the world advances through technology, the general public also moves to be in consistency with these rapid changes. Most of us have developed internet dependency so much that a day does not pass by without going online. Because of this, it is imperative for us to have at least a portion of our individuality into the world wide web through maintaining online accounts that reflect our personal information. Since these online accounts may contain some of our confidential data, it is vital that we invest effort in establishing the online security of these accounts.

So, how do we define the term “personal information”? For some people, this may be defined as their name, address, and current profession, but for some, this may include private photos, social media profiles, and even bank accounts which evidently requires a solid account security.

We prepared a list of important aspects which are relevant to the need for a reliable account security.

1. Protection against identity theft

   

   Based on the current statistics, Identity theft is rated at the top of all cybercrimes. This happens when someone pretends to be you online while he/she gains control over your personal information. Identity theft can and may damage your online character. This is apart from committing fraud using your online account. And since the hacker has access to your account, he/she also has access to sensitive information on your private life which you may be keeping to yourself.

2. Management of Online Business Reputation

   

   Well, generally speaking, a lot of businesses have been successful with the assistance of having online personalities and services. Even small entrepreneurs who are just starting their businesses tend to use the power of the web to reach their market. As difficult as establishing your company, managing your online reputation is no easy matter. Customer trust is oftentimes earned after several transactions, however, losing can only take a single mistake which customers deem significant. So once a hacker successfully controls your online accounts, fraudulent correspondence may be sent to your favoured customers. They may even create fake employee names and conduct transactions with your customers.

3. Protection on your Banking Information

   

   How convenient is it to manage your banking transactions online? People find it easiest to conduct their purchases and payments online. Trusting your bank’s online facility is one, but individual efforts for account security must be followed to prevent criminals from accessing them. Imagine someone having control over your bank account, this means he/she can withdraw or transfer all your funds to another bank account without your authorisation. 

4. Security over Credit Card Information

   

   Just as convenient as online banking, having your credit card information online is very helpful especially for individuals who run their businesses in the web. Once you decide on taking your credit card transactions in the net, you must also perform online securities to avoid theft. Despite the credit card companies’ efforts to advance the technology on online credit card usage, scams seem to multiply each day. Additional account security on questions asked prior to online purchases may be requested from your credit card company.

5. Hiding your Personal Activity

   

   Your online activity and personal information should be kept private to a few selected people. If you publish your profile publicly, people you don’t know could dig deep to your confidential details.  Nowadays, most employers would prefer having a glimpse of you and your professional records prior to engaging a personal interaction with you. They may sometimes even check your social media accounts to verify your personality. You might ask, what is the relevance of this to online security? It’s simple, if you are the type of individual who is active in the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (to name a few), it is likely that you update your status a lot. But do know that some employers do consider personal outlooks as part of their checklist. So providing security in the sense of who can view your personal profile is key.

To sum up, most of us spend hours in a day online, but we should still be aware that innumerable people can access our personal profiles any time. Regardless of whether there is anything to lose, we must keep in mind that online security for your personal accounts is essential to keeping, even your offline profile, safe and protected.