Tips for Improving Privacy in Digital Transactions

These days, we are our phones. Our phones can be used to access our most sensitive information, make financial transactions, and connect with everyone we know. Recently, one person found out that hard way why we need to ensure that our phones are sufficiently secured.   In this case, a woman was required to leave her mobile phone with the County Sherriff's Office when she entered a court for a hearing. While the woman was attending the hearing, a third-party convinced the Sherriff's Office to provide him with her phone. The third-party was apparently able to access the phone, find "sexual and intimate photographs and video records" of the woman and others, and send these photos and videos to "all" of her "social media contacts."    In response, the woman filed a civil lawsuit against the Sherriff's Office and the third-party. https://lnkd.in/ecXwCCdt. Assuming her facts are accurate, there can be no doubt that the third-party and the Sherriff's Office were in the wrong here. Nor is blaming the victim ever appropriate.    Nonetheless, there are steps you can take to help prevent this type of nightmare from occurring to you:   1. PASSWORD PROTECTION: Given that your phone contains and can be used to access all your most sensitive information, ensure that it contains a password that you don't share with third-parties and that is difficult to guess. Also, avoid using the password to unlock your phone in public.   2. MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA): Enable MFA wherever it is an option. Use app or physical token based MFA where possible, as opposed to text or phone call. Require your cell phone carrier to use a second factor before making any account changes.    3. EMBARASSING CONTENT: Don't create or store embarrassing content on your phone. If you "must" create and store embarrassing content on your phone, consider storing it in a "hidden" and separate "password" protected folder.   4. HIDING APPS/FOLDERS: On most phones, all apps and folders are displayed by default, but they do not have to be displayed. For example, on the iPhone, you can hold your finger over an app for a few seconds and then select "Remove from Home Screen." If you do that, you will have to type the name of the app into the search bar to access the app. This is a good step to take to protect banking apps and other sensitive apps. 5. ACCOUNT CHANGES: You can require a user enter a separate password before making any changes to your overall Apple or Android account, thereby making it harder for a phone thief to lock you out. On an iPhone, go to settings; screen time; content & privacy restrictions; and then go to "allow changes to:" (a) "Accounts"; and (b) "Passcode & Face ID." Change both to "Don't allow."       Other tips for protecting your phone and its content can be found at: https://lnkd.in/e9s_hsan (Apple); and https://lnkd.in/eQSaYdVq (Android).   Stay safe out there! 

1. Immediately update credentials for critical services—including Apple, Google, Facebook, and email—due to the exposure of 16 billion compromised records. 2. Implement unique, high-entropy passwords or passkeys for all accounts, managed securely via an enterprise-grade password manager; eliminate credential reuse. 3. Use a vetted, encrypted password manager with zero-knowledge architecture to securely store and autofill credentials across devices. 4. Activate phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (e.g., FIDO2 security keys or TOTP-based apps) across all sensitive systems. 5. Continuously monitor breach detection platforms and account activity to proactively identify and mitigate unauthorized access.

Keeping your data private in a digital world is easier said than done. Every action we take online is tracked by one company or another, then nearly always sold to even more companies. And in the United States, as well as many other places, government #data protections and regulations have yet to catch up to the speed of technology (if we’re connected on here you surely know how I feel about this). But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to safeguard your personal data. Anyone is capable of creating their own data privacy fortress with the right protections in place to keep the many, MANY companies that track our online data from accessing that information. And I recommend everyone do so! So in honor of Data Privacy Day, here are some things I do to keep my personal information just that — personal — behind the walls of my own data privacy fortress: 🏰 Install the EFF Privacy Badger extension. This extension sends Global Privacy Control (GPC) and Do Not Track (DNT) signals to websites you visit and blocks trackers that don’t honor privacy signals — you may be surprised by what gets blocked. 🏰 Avoid using free or public Wi-Fi. It can’t be trusted. EVER. If you must use it, get a reputable VPN to use whenever you’re on public Wi-Fi (but again, avoidance is the best policy). 🏰 Setup a SIM transfer PIN on your carrier. SIM swapping and hijacking can cause a world of pain when it comes to protecting yourself from identity fraud, which is a real privacy nightmare. A SIM Swap PIN is not perfect, but it’s better than not having one. 🏰 Use an Email Private Relay service EVERYWHERE. If you use a unique email for every subscription membership and loyalty program, then you can easily disable that specific email address and protect against further harm whenever there’s a breach or misuse of your data. Apple has one by default, Firefox offers one and Android has one in beta testing. 🏰 Exercise your Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) rights. Every individual has the right to access information about what personal data a company holds about them, including data brokers like Acxiom and Epsilon. Submit a DSAR, find out what data they have on you, laugh at how wrong it is, then request that they delete it all. There are now 17+ states with comprehensive data privacy laws in place, with more on the way. But for now, the best way to protect your data is to take matters into your own hands and enjoy the peace of mind that your data is staying private.

Data privacy might seem like a box to tick, but it’s much more than that. It’s the backbone of trust between you and your users. Here are a few ways to stay on top of it: + Encrypt sensitive data from day one to prevent unauthorized access. + Regular audits of your data storage and access systems are crucial to catch vulnerabilities before they become issues. + Be transparent about how you collect, store, and use data. Clear privacy policies go a long way in building user confidence. + Stay compliant with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. It’s not optional - it’s mandatory. + Train your team on the importance of data security, ensuring everyone from developers to support staff understands their role in safeguarding information. It’s easy to overlook these tasks when you're focused on growth. But staying proactive with data privacy isn’t just about following laws - it’s about protecting your reputation and building long-term relationships with your users. Don’t let what seems monotonous now turn into a crisis later. Stay ahead. #DataPrivacy #AppSecurity #GDPR #Trust #DataProtection #StartupTips #TechLeaders #CyberSecurity #UserTrust #AppDevelopment

99% of crypto users risk their crypto to hacks due to poor wallet hygiene. Here are 7 essential tools everyone needs to secure their wallets: 1/ Create a secure multi-sig wallet with Safe Use it for the crypto that you are holding in the long term. It acts as a secure banking vault requiring several wallets (private keys) to authorize any transaction. So even if one of the wallets gets compromised, your funds are still safe. 2/ Get a cold wallet like Ledger or Trezor Hot wallets like Metamask that are always connected to the internet are much riskier. Get a cold wallet that's not connected to the Internet and use it as a secure storage for your assets. It can also act as one of the wallets for your multi-sig. 3/ Delegate authority of your multi-sig or cold wallet with Delegate (.xyz) NEVER use your secure multi-sig or cold wallet to interact with suspicious protocols. Always use a new risky wallet for that. And delegate the authority of your safe multi-sig/cold wallet to this risky wallet in case you need to claim an airdrop or mint an NFT. 4/ Remove unlimited token spend approvals with Revoke (.cash) Many DeFi protocols ask for unlimited token spend approvals. So if the protocol gets compromised, your wallet can be drained. Review and remove any unnecessary approvals granted in the past. 5/ Use a portfolio tracker like CoinStats to monitor your DeFi positions Track all your on chain activity in DeFi in one place. Spot any suspicious or unusual on-chain activity early on and take action. 6/ Use Wallet Guard to preview your transactions Preview all transactions and understand what exactly you are approving. 7/ Exercise caution and NEVER do any of the following: - Download any suspicious files sent on Telegram/social media DMs - Click on any Airdrop announcement/crypto winning emails - Use weak and easy-to-guess passwords Use these tools and best practices to secure your crypto wallets against hacks and phishing scams. P.S. Any other good tool that I missed? Let me know below. Follow 👉 Aram Mughalyan & share ♻️ this post if you like it.

Your Digital Security and Digital Privacy Could Be at Risk – Don’t Let AI Tools Create a Digital Footprint on Your Behalf Background: With most of us (if not all) being exposed to AI tools in one way or another, there is a risk of our digital credentials being exposed. What’s even worse? AI activities performed on your behalf are considered part of your digital footprint, and you could be clueless about the trail being generated that represents you. What can you do to enhance your Digital Privacy and Digital Security? 1. Use an alternate email address for AI tools – DO NOT LINK your primary email. 2. 2FA is a must: Use two-factor authentication for all critical accounts, from banking to LinkedIn. 3. Use a VPN when needed: Testing a new AI tool? Use a VPN, check what data is being gathered, and decline permissions for collecting personally identifiable information (PII). 4. Avoid free AI tools: If a product is free, you are the product. Avoid free tools unless you have tested them for data breaches and security risks. Remember, there is no free lunch in this world. 5. Prefer open-source tools: Choose open-source AI tools over black-box ones when possible, as they allow you to screen and understand the information being gathered. 6. I know this is the most annoying one, but do change your passwords regularly. Many of us may soon adopt two devices—one for personal use (without third-party access) and another for productivity tasks (with restricted permissions). It’s the price of digital privacy in an AI-powered world.

As gig workers, we rely on digital platforms for finding work, communicating with blended teams, and invoicing and income. Success depends on making our experience and credentials public to potential clients. But with an increased online presence comes the responsibility of safeguarding our personal data. Workerbee is committed to making sure that our talent and client data remains confidential, ensuring privacy across all channels. This National Data Privacy Week, I’m sharing tips we can all take to make sure we protect our digital identities while continuing to thrive in the gig economy. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe: 1) Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with the privacy policies of the apps and platforms you use. Understand what data is being collected and how it's used. 2) Secure Your Devices: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts. A simple extra layer of protection can make a huge difference. 3) Be Mindful of Phishing Scams: Don't click on suspicious links or share personal details over email or message. Scammers often target gig workers with fake offers. 4) Protect Payment Information: Always use secure payment methods and be cautious about sharing financial details online. 5) Update Regularly: Keep your devices, apps, and passwords updated with the latest security patches to avoid vulnerabilities. Let’s continue to thrive, but let's also keep our data safe! #NationalDataPrivacyWeek #GigEconomy #PrivacyMatters