Desktop Security Software

5 tips to protect yourself and a great security tool that makes it easy

Whether we like it or not, information about - and control over - the money in our bank and credit card accounts is online. All of that information - and as a result, our money - is only as safe as the passwords we choose to protect it.

If we aren't careful with our information, it can get stolen. And these days, with the convenience of online shopping and banking, it's not only our info that risks getting compromised, but our actual money.

So how can you help prevent the potential theft of your money and info online? Using the tips below, along with a secure password manager like eWallet, is a great way to protect your important information. Keep reading for some online safety tips, and to see why eWallet is the perfect security tool for following these simple steps.

1. Don't use the same password for each site: If you use the same password everywhere, and someone finds out or guesses the password for just one of your online logins, they could gain access to all your online accounts.

Imagine: a hacker manages to get your Facebook password and logs in to your account. Now, if you use the same password for your email, they can log in to that too. They can look through your emails and see which bank you use, what credit cards you own, where you shop online - the list goes on and on.

And the pattern continues....What if you're using the same password for your bank or credit card site? There's no limit to where the hacker can log in, emptying your bank accounts, using your credit cards, and leaving you to clean up the mess.

Even if you're not using the same password, someone with access to your email can almost always request a password reset just using your email address.

2. Use a strong password: When selecting a password, never pick a word that's found in the dictionary or a password consisting of just numbers. Also, avoid passwords that are easy to guess or that a hacker could find out about you online.

For instance, never use the word "password", simple number patterns like "123", a birthday, a child's name, or a pet's name - sure, those are easy to remember, but they're also easy for others to guess!

3. Don't enter confidential info on a public computer: There's no way to tell if a public computer is infected with a keylogger or other malware that can record your passwords. Wait to access secure sites (like your bank or credit card site) until you're on your home computer. And be sure your home network is password-protected and secure.

Public computers may also be unsafe because computers often "cache" information, meaning some info gets stored in case the computer needs to use it later. So personal info you enter into a public computer can potentially be saved and viewed or used later by someone else.

4. Look for 'https' and the little lock: Check your address bar to make sure you see "https" at the beginning of any address to a secure website. The "s" in https tells you that any information entered there is encrypted prior to transfer to keep it out of the wrong hands. This is especially important when you're using someone else's wireless network.

You can also verify that a site is secure by looking for the little padlock icon. Sometimes it's in the lower-right corner, and sometimes it's up in the address bar, depending on the browser you're using.

5. Never click strange web links: Don't click links in any email that looks suspicious. Even if you get an email that looks legitimate (from your bank, for example) be very careful before clicking. Hackers send emails that link you to fake websites, telling you to login and update your account info - then the fake site records your username and password for the hacker to use.

In fact, it's always safest to type a site's name directly into your address bar, at least for secure sites (again, like your bank, or a credit card site). Or you can copy and paste the URL out of a secure program. That way, you know you're visiting the real site, and not a fake set up by a hacker.

And don't reply to emails that request the password to any site you use - real companies will never email you to ask for this info. Assume this type of email is fake and delete it.

The perfect security tool for all your info

The tips above might sound like a lot of work - but they don't have to be. Using reliable password software like eWallet you can follow them all and keep your info safe. It's the perfect place to store your passwords, bank accounts, usernames, website links, and more.

eWallet uses secure, government-level encryption to protect all your passwords, so you can take them with you anywhere. When you keep your passwords in eWallet, you can make them stronger because you won't need to remember them. You only need to remember one password to open your wallet and view all the rest.

Plus, eWallet keeps track of more than just passwords: use it to protect your account numbers, usernames, website security questions, and more. Features like AutoPass and SmartCopy keep you safe from keyloggers and other online threats by filling out login screens and securely pasting info on other website forms. You won't need to type your personal details into your browser.

And eWallet's built-in PassBuilder can generate a secure password anytime you need one, using letters, numbers, and punctuation to make a strong password that hackers can't guess. You can use PassBuilder for all your passwords, because eWallet remembers them so you don't have to.

So whenever you read a tip about online safety, and you think it's too difficult to bother with or remember - don't worry. Simply by using all the features available in eWallet, you'll be able to protect your money and your info, and stay safer online.

Want to see for yourself what makes eWallet the only security tool you'll need to protect your info online? You can try it free for 30 days. Download eWallet now and see how easy it is to keep your information safer online and everywhere else.