How to keep your device safe

It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month. In the midst of cyber mishaps you can still keep your information safe. Here are a few ways you can prevent your data from being exposed to "cyber accidents".

• Set strong passwords with eight characters or more that also use a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols and don’t share them with anyone.

• Keep your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimized by installing updates.

• Don't download your apps from wherever, apps downloaded from unsafe sites can lead to your device being hacked

• Check the number ratings for the app you want to download. The higher the number of ratings, the less likely the app is dangerous

• Check the privacy policy of the app, BEFORE you download. If you don't like what it says, keep looking: for every app that you like there are at least 10 more that do the same thing.

• Be cautious about what you receive or read online—don't click it even if it sounds great.

• Turn off your GPS location services and your device’s camera when not using them. Turn off the location service individually for each app as well. When in doubt, switch to airplane mode.

• Use privacy settings on social networking websites such as Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat,

and Facebook.

• Set privacy settings on your phone

• Don't auto connect - disable remote connectivity and Bluetooth. Some devices will automatically seek and connect to available wireless networks.

• Before you connect to any public wireless hotspot – like on an airplane or in an airport, hotel, train/bus station or café – be sure to confirm the name of the network and exact login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the network is legitimate.

• Only use sites that begin with “https://” or that display a lock symbol in the browser when online shopping or banking.

• Delete suspicious emails or the ones that come from unknown sources; if you opened one by accident, do not click any links.