Not a day goes by that we don't hear something in the news about computers being hacked into allowing thieves access to credit card numbers, social security numbers and other sensitive information. Most recently the Heartbleed Bug has been in the news revealing a serious flaw in an encryption software many websites and devices use called OpenSSL. The bug leaves websites vulnerable and may allow hackers to access passwords.
The good thing is that most government and financial institutions were not afffected because they don't use OpenSSL. However, many websites have been identified as being vulnerable including Gmail, Facebook, Netflix. Some have been "patched" and are now secure, however a password change is recommended.
Click here to access a list of the top 100 websites on the internet and their status with regard to Heartbleed.
In this ever changing, increasingly complicated age of cyberspace, how do you protect yourself from Identity Theft? While it's important to keep your information secure, thieves will always try to be one step ahead to try to hack into systems. Did you know many insurance policies now offer Identity Theft Protection. If you don't see it in your policy, please contact us. MetLife offers this protection for free on all their auto and home insurance policies, and many companies offer it for about $10-$20 per year on homeowners policies. It can provide as much as $25,000-$50,000 to help restore your credit and is well worth it.
Click here for FAQ's and what you need to do about Heartbleed.
Click here to learn more about protecting your personal information.