Ways military families can stay safe online
July 2023
Story courtesy of Brandpoint Content
Is someone in your family, or someone you know, an active-duty service member or military spouse planning a permanent change of station? Now is the time to help them protect their information online.
A third of the military — nearly half a million families — make a PCS move every year. According to the Federal Trade Commission, active-duty service members are three times more likely to be victims of digital theft than the general public.
While financial and identity theft can happen any time of year, military families are especially vulnerable when moving for a permanent change of station. Anyone managing a move risks sensitive data being stolen. In fact, personal information is shuffled from one location to another, leaving it accessible to movers, family members, dumpster divers, real estate agents and home buyers, contractors, appraisers and more. That’s why it’s critical to be proactive and secure your digital lives before a move so you don’t leave yourself open to digital attacks. Here are five ways to keep your family safe before, during and after relocation.
1. DON’T OVERSHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You may be tempted to share the excitement of your move online, but doing so can make you vulnerable. Avoid sharing information about your family’s relocation, or any personal information for that matter, on social media.
You may think sharing your new neighborhood, children’s school or duty station is harmless, but cybercriminals can use these tidbits of information to steal your identity. Even when you’ve settled into your new home, stay vigilant. Use caution when sharing information like your location, favorite sports team, children’s birthdays or any details that could help hackers guess your passwords.
2. UPDATE PASSWORDS
Speaking of passwords, you should update your passwords as you prepare to move. Even better, create complex passphrases with multiple digits, special characters and letters in various cases. Don’t pick phrases a stranger could guess by looking at your social media or publicly available information.
Even if you have a strong passphrase, don’t reuse it across multiple accounts. If a cybercriminal successfully breaches one of your accounts, they could use it to access the others with the same passphrase.
Finally, don’t write your passwords or passphrases down digitally or on paper. To make it easier to remember your credentials and keep them secure, consider using a password manager, like Aura’s, which alerts you when you need to change your password, if there has been a data leak or breach.
3. EXPLORE DIGITAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS
Simplify your digital safety before your move and beyond by exploring digital security solutions. Consider signing up for an all-in-one online security platform like Aura. This easy-to- use security solution keeps your and your family’s personal information, devices and finances safe from online threats.
Aura offers everything you need to proactively control your digital life and keep your finances and identity safe and secure. This includes lost wallet recovery, antivirus, VPN, multi-device protection and monitoring for credit, bank accounts, social security numbers, home and title use, and criminal and court records.
Don’t wait for cybercriminals to strike. Using these five tips, you can help your family stay safe online before, during and after your permanent change of station.
Learn more about Aura by visiting aura.com/military.