ANSWERED: Top 10 Internet Security Tips from Xfinity

Help secure your devices, your personal information, and your family against online threats with easy-to-use internet security tips. Print a copy for easy reference.

The risks are real, but the solution is clear.

Security tips

SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Don’t be fooled by social engineering.

Social engineering is the art of manipulating people to perform actions or divulge confidential information. Before you share sensitive details about yourself, make sure you can verify their credibility.

LINKS AND ATTACHMENTS

Be extra careful clicking links and attachments in emails. Phishing is a method used by internet scammers.

• Scammers imitate real companies or individuals in email messages to entice people to share user names, passwords, account information, or credit card numbers.
• Even though the sending party might look legitimate, there is a possibility that they might not be.
  
  

STRONG PASSWORDS

Use strong passwords for accounts and devices.

When creating a password, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

• The longer your passwords are, the harder they are to crack.
• Never use the same password for multiple accounts — especially for sensitive sites like social media, email, or banking websites.
  
  

MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA)

Use MFA; it is considered a best practice to help further protect yourself against hacks and social engineering.

• MFA works by requiring you to log in with more than one set of credentials to authenticate your identity.
• Turn on MFA when a website or app offers it — especially for sensitive sites like social media, email or banking websites.
• Xfinity offers two-step verification to help protect online access to your account, Xfinity web pages and most apps. Enroll today!
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA SETTINGS

Be careful when sharing personal information.

• Never share sensitive or confidential information on social media.
• Never share your full birthdate, current address, or location when you’ll be away from home for a long period of time.
  
  

ENCRYPT SENSITIVE FILES

Encrypt sensitive files in emails. While it’s important to have strong passwords on your devices and email accounts, you should take extra precaution to safeguard sensitive files you store or transfer. Encrypt these types of files before sending.

Sensitive information includes:

• W2 forms
• Credit card numbers and bank account info
• Driver’s license numbers
• Social Security numbers (SSNs)
• Insurance numbers, etc. 
  
  

UPDATE APPS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS

Keep your devices’ operating system and apps updated to the latest version to ensure the latest security patches are installed.

• Make sure Adobe Flash, Java, and other utilities stay updated to prevent cyber attacks.
• If your device offers auto-update for apps, turn on this feature.
  
  

SECURE YOUR INFORMATION

Secure your payment and personal information when shopping online.

• Submit payment information on websites with a URL that starts with https://.
  • The 's' stands for secure.
• If you’re shopping on a mobile device, only submit payment information on trusted, well-known apps.
• Use caution when saving payment information in your web browser or mobile wallet.
  
  

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PROTECTING ONLINE PRESENCE AND PREVENTING CYBERBULLYING

Talk with your family about protecting your online presence and cyberbullying.

For families that share devices or regularly interact online together, it’s important to have a conversation about internet safety. Review the tips above and have an open discussion with your family about protecting your online presence and educating them about the pitfalls of cyberbullying.

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