Every day we are bombarded with information about the coronavirus outbreak. Doctors and other healthcare providers share tips to help us stay healthy, and we are even taught the proper way to wash our hands. While personal health and hygiene are of the utmost importance, perhaps equally important is learning how to maintain cyber health and hygiene during this time.

Social distancing and stay at home directives have confined people to their homes and we are using internet and online services for social interaction, shopping, paying bills, and completing work projects. And, while we are blessed to have this technology, this lifeline comes with heightened security risks. Unfortunately, threats exist beyond the disease itself and criminals will use the situation to take advantage of you! Here are a few ways to help you stay safe online. 

Watch out for scams. There are people who take legitimate sites like the CDC or hospitals, and send out official looking email messages about COVID-19. They insert links in the message in an attempt to get you to click for more information. They embed malware in the links so that when you click, they can infect your computer giving them access to login information, personal data, etc. Do not open anything unless you visit the actual site, and never click on a link or open an attachment, no matter how legitimate it looks!

Think before you share. There is an abundance of disinformation being disseminated in an attempt to mislead you. Obtain your information from legitimate sources only – actual news outlet sites, CDC, etc. Do not trust third parties that you have never heard of before. Always check the validity of information before sharing.

Practice good hygiene. In additional to washing your hands after every physical contact, practice cyber hygiene to keep your computer system and personal information safe. Clean your computer of any viruses, secure passwords, download patches and updates, and do not download anything from unknown sources. Be extra vigilant on verification. 

Keep your personal information private. Being confined to your home may create the need for connection, which may cause you to lower your social media guard and overshare. More time online may lead to riskier behavior. Be careful not to provide more personal information than normal and always monitor what appears in the background of a photo or livestream. Be sure to maintain proper privacy settings.

Be mindful of online contacts and connections. Increased social media use can open the door for communicating with strangers. Carefully vet a person before accepting a connection request.

Avoid product scams. Searching the web can expose you to scams. If you find a hard to acquire product on the site of an unknown source, ask yourself why this site has the product when other reputable sites do not. Follow the rule of thumb: if it seems too good to be true, it is. Stick with legitimate sites when ordering online.

Implementing safe online practices are important on any “normal” day, but now when so many are vulnerable, it’s of the utmost importance. As the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”