Keep your (online) identity safe!

With hackers getting more and more innovative, it is very important to keep your online accounts safe. Many people often forget to add additional security for their own e-mail account.

Also having just your mobile phone number as security with SMS isn’t that safe. Either remove this or add additional MFA requirements to your account.

𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 Use a password manager of your liking! Ask someone you know who might know a bit more about it (while keeping personal preferences in mind). Also read more about this in another blog post: Selecting A Password Manager, where To Start? – Make It Solutions
𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐞𝐛 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 Get informed when your e-mail/ password has been compromised. Some password managers provide this Dark Web Monitoring Solution | Dashlane So you can take appropriate counter measures
𝐕𝐏𝐍 When connecting to an unknown network, use a VPN.
𝟐𝐅𝐀 When using tools like Authy (a 2FA app like Google authenticator, only able to sync between multiple devices). Add additional security by disabling adding new devices, once you have added your own devices Security Alert: New Device Added – Authy. Because keep in mind, when making it easier for yourself with certain tools, you can also make it easier for hackers.
𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 If you use Microsoft accounts, use the Microsoft Authenticator: How to use the Microsoft Authenticator app – Microsoft Support
𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 Google has a great advanced protection site, which helps you secure your account: Advanced Protection Program (google.com)
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 If you go for this, just remember: ‘1 = none’, so buy a minimal set of 2. Yubico has a great quiz for selecting which YubiKey is suited for you: Which YubiKey is right for you | Quiz | Yubico
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 Seems maybe a bit strange, but passwordless can be a safer option when applying the right MFA tools. Microsoft and Google provide great support for this.
𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 Don’t keep a copy of your passport in your e-mail because of convenience. When providing a copy of your passport, look up which data is needed for each authority. A bank for example needs different information than a hotel.
When traveling you can make your own copies with only the required information needed. Yes, you will have some conversations 😊, but is YOUR identity!
Government sites always have information about this, in the Netherlands for example: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/identiteitsfraude/vraag-en-antwoord/fraude-voorkomen-met-kopie-id-bewijs Also apps are available, which can help you with this.
𝐌𝐅𝐀 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 Even with security measures in place, you should still be very cautious. Like MFA fatigue attacks, which in short means: You get an approval request and accidentally approve this, so then the attacker has access. Defend your users from MFA fatigue attacks – Microsoft Community Hub
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 Create accounts and just experiment with the possibilities.