Cyber

Privacy and
Password
Protection
Dr Sajeena S.
 Cyber privacy is also known as online privacy or internet
privacy.

Online Privacy is the level of privacy protection an individual

has while connected to the internet.

It covers the amount of online security available for personal

Cyber and financial data, communications and preferences.

Privacy It protects identity and personal privacy from theft.

Cyber-Privacy is mostly defined by the services used by

individuals.

Whatever agreements individuals agree to when they sign up

for a service usually signs away their right to privacy.
 In order to protect cyber privacy

Limit Ignore Explore Limit Create Browse in

Limit the Ignore the Explore Limit the Create Browse in
personal “About Me” different people who strong incognito or
information fields in your privacy can view passwords private
you share on social media settings, your posts to mode if you
social media, profiles, those you’ve don’t want
personally your
invited computer to
save your
browsing
history,
temporary
internet files,
or cookies
 Use a different search engine. Use
anonymous search engines. This type
of search engine doesn’t collect or
share your search history or clicks.
Anonymous search engines can also
block ad trackers on the websites you
visit. Eg: DuckDuckGo, SearX,
Qwant, Gibiru, Swisscows, yippy etc
• Use a Virtual Private Network
(VPN) gives you online privacy
and anonymity by creating a
private network from a public
internet connection.
• VPNs mask your Internet Protocol
(IP) address so your online actions
are virtually untraceable.
• Using a VPN is especially
important when you’re on public
Wi-Fi at a library, or other public
location.
• A VPN will make it more difficult
for cybercriminals to breach your
online privacy and access your
personal information.
 Protect the smart phones too. Don’t
ignore software updates, either. These
updates often include important
protections against the latest viruses.
If you continue to ignore them, you
could be leaving your smartphone’s
operating system and programs
vulnerable to attack.
 Use quality antivirus software
Password Protection

• The importance of using secure, unique passwords is

growing as you entrust increasing amounts of personal
information to organizations and businesses that can fall
victim to data breaches and password leaks.
Ways to protect passwords are:
 Do not use personal information
• Don’t use your name or names of family members or
pets in your passwords. Don’t use numbers like your
address, phone number, or birthdays, either. These can
be publicly available, on forms you fill out or on social
media profiles, and easily accessible to hackers.
 Do not use real words
• Password cracking tools are very
effective at helping attackers guess your
password.
• These programs can process every word
in the dictionary, plus letter and number
combinations, until a match is found.
Instead, use special characters.
• By combining uppercase and lowercase
letters with numbers and special
characters, such as “&” or “$,” you can
increase the complexity of your password
and help decrease the chances of someone
potentially hacking into your account.
Create longer passwords

The longer the password, the

harder it may be to crack. Try
for a minimum of 10 characters.
• Modify easy-to-remember phrases
 Don’t write them down
• Resist the temptation to hide passwords under your
keyboard or to post them on your monitor. When you
type your password in a public setting, make sure no
one is watching or looking over your shoulder.
• One way to store and remember passwords securely is
to use a tool that keeps your list of usernames and
passwords in encrypted form. Some of these tools,
called password managers, will even help by
automatically filling in the information for you on some
websites.
Change passwords on a regular basis

Passwords for your online financial accounts

should be changed every month or two.
Computer login passwords should be changed
at least once a quarter. Using the same
password for longer periods could put your
information at risk if a data breach occurs.
 Use different passwords on
different accounts
• Don’t use the same password on
more than one account. If a hacker
cracks it, then all of the information
protected by that password on other
accounts could also be
compromised. Use a password
generator, like 
Norton Identity Safe, to help create
unique and strong passwords.
 Do not type passwords on devices or networks
you do not control
• Never enter your password on another person’s
computer. It could be stored without your
knowledge. When using your devices on public
Wi-Fi, you should avoid visiting websites that
require you to log in to your account, such as
online banking or shopping.
• When you’re on an unsecured public network,
your unencrypted data could be intercepted by a
nearby hacker. To protect yourself from these
threats, you should always use a virtual private
network (VPN), like Norton Secure VPN, when
on a public Wi-Fi connection.
 Two-factor
Authentication
• Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is a
method of verifying your identity that
adds a second layer of security to your
account password.

Types of two-factor authentication can

include any of the following:

 Something you know: a PIN number,

password, or pattern
 Something you have: an ATM or
credit card, mobile phone, or security
token
 Something you are: a biometric form
of authentication, such as your
fingerprint, your voice, or your face
Extra security for your
passwords

• With two-factor authentication (2FA),

you get an extra layer of security that
hackers may not be able to crack as
easily, because the criminal needs more
than just the username and password
credentials. You may already be using
2FA without realizing it. Your ATM card
is an example, combining your physical
card and your PIN.
• Remember that nothing is 100% secure,
and even 2FA can be vulnerable to
hackers.
• If a cybercriminal gains access to the email
account associated with your 2FA
information, they could reset your
password by selecting “Lost/Forgot
password” on a given site’s login page.
• This password recovery option could
completely bypass 2FA and allow the
hacker to create a new password, locking
you out of your account.
• Be sure to monitor your email account for
messages requesting password changes.
• Passwords are just one piece of
the protection puzzle. To create
a safer environment online, you
will also want to use a firewall
and other security products that
help keep hackers out of your
system and protect your
identity online.