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5 Tips To Protect Your Connected Devices And Electronic Identity
Arga Fairuz
June 26, 2022

5 Tips To Protect Your Connected Devices And Electronic Identity


Resourceful thieves and cyber criminals continue to find new ways to hack U.S. consumers’ sensitive personal information. Dumpster diving, stolen or lost wallets and mail fraud should still be concerns, but the digital age of tablets, smartphones, PCs and Wi-Fi networks leaves people even more vulnerable than ever.

Think about it: Have you ever stored credit card information on your phone for added convenience to make payments in a checkout lane? Do you ever store passwords in apps to transfer funds between accounts? And what’s to keep hackers from accessing a wireless network you check your email on while you’re grabbing a quick cup of coffee?

Said Jane Li, Mercury Insurance’s director of product management,

More than 15.4 million people a year will experience identity theft, with an average loss of more than $1,000

"When one access point closes due to added levels of security, cyber attackers find another. Insurance companies like Mercury provide services that allow homeowners and renters to enjoy the convenience of accessing their connected devices at home and on-the-go, while also helping to protect customers from the potentially devastating effects of criminal infiltration, cyber extortion and identity theft."

Keeping aware of the latest schemes and ensuring members of your household, friends and others you care about have the right tools helps stop criminals in their tracks.

Following are five do’s and don’ts to help protect your connected devices, as well as your electronic identity, from hackers.

  • Do power down your devices. This disables the internet connection, cutting off access to any personal information stored on your computer, tablet or phone. Unattended machines, especially if you’re asleep or you leave them at home while on vacation, are easy targets for hackers.
  • Don’t connect to unsecured wireless networks. Information accessed on an open network, including email passwords and sensitive bank information, is fair game for hackers. Don’t make their jobs easier. Turn off Wi-Fi access on your devices unless it’s a password-protected network you trust.
  • Do monitor your children’s device usage. It’s a good idea to limit use of computers, tablets and phones to public areas within the home like the living room or kitchen. This makes it easier for parents to keep an eye on who their kids are communicating with, especially on social media or gaming sites, to help prevent the sharing of sensitive information like full names, addresses or other things that can be used for identity theft or other potentially dangerous activities.
  • Don’t discard important paperwork without shredding it. If it has your name and address, it presents an opportunity for thieves to take advantage and open an account using your information. Remember to shred expired insurance documents, vehicle registrations, bills, loan pre-qualifications and other paperwork that would allow someone to call in pretending to be you. Check your credit reports at least twice a year to ensure all accounts opened in your name are valid.
  • Do install recommended updates. Smartphone, computer, tablet and smart TV manufacturers, among other providers of connected devices, offer periodic software updates to protect against potential security breaches. Chances are, if an update is recommended, hackers have already discovered a w[ay to access your personal property and information, so keep your software up-to-date.

Li recommends homeowners and renters speak with their local insurance agent to learn more about the endorsements they may be able to add to existing policies to help safeguard their finances if their identities are compromised or connected devices are attacked.

"It can be daunting to try to regain your financial footing if a criminal takes advantage of you," said Li. "Insurance exists to help protect consumers from unexpected events and, in this case, it’s better to be safe than sorry."

Blog authors

Arga Fairuz
Arga Fairuz
Web Developer & Blogger

17 comments

  1. Rami Printing Jakarta
    Rami Printing Jakarta
    May 26, 2024
    assalamu'alaikum mas, mau tanya Template dengan tampilan seperti toko online ada mas, atau apa bisa dicustom ya?
    1. Arga Fairuz
      Arga Fairuz
      May 31, 2024
      Wa'alaikumsalam mas.
      Untuk saat ini belum menyediakan template toko online dan belum bersedia mengerjakan template custom.
  2. Unknown
    Unknown
    May 24, 2024
    Contoh nya ini
  3. datadikdas
    datadikdas
    April 24, 2022
    Minggu depan mau beli ah..kerenn
    1. Arga Fairuz
      Arga Fairuz
      June 23, 2022
      Oke mas siap, ditunggu ya, wkwk
  4. Raden Pedia
    Raden Pedia
    August 30, 2021
    Masih cinta sama avia, tp ini juga keren
    1. Arga Fairuz
      Arga Fairuz
      June 23, 2022
      Yap, keduanya keren banget.
      Dan kalo bosen pun tinggal pindah template aja :)
  5. Qiey Romdani
    Qiey Romdani
    August 05, 2021
    Tes
  6. Kambingbodoh
    Kambingbodoh
    July 20, 2021
    Tes komentar tanpa login
  7. Admin
    Admin
    July 19, 2021
    Hbvjjbjj
  8. Habibi Muzakkir
    Habibi Muzakkir
    July 19, 2021
    Mantap juga template nya, lebih suka ini drpd Livia satu lagi dehh
    1. Arga Fairuz
      Arga Fairuz
      June 23, 2022
      Makasih mas penilaiannya :)
  9. Pstore.Net
    Pstore.Net
    March 14, 2020
    Tes 1.2.3
  10. Fairuz
    Fairuz
    February 18, 2020
    Ini adalah contoh mengirim sebuah komentar dengan mengisi nama secara manual tanpa login
  11. Show more
  12. Anonymous
    Anonymous
    February 18, 2020
    Contoh mengirim komentar sebagai anonymous (pengguna tidak diketahui)
    1. Arga Fairuz
      Arga Fairuz
      February 18, 2020
      Contoh mengirim sebuah balasan dari komentar oleh admin
    2. Andrie K.
      Andrie K.
      July 19, 2021
      Wih bisa anonim ya