As a part of this new digital generation, we’ve heard all this advice from the adults:

• Change your passwords and don’t share them.
• Log out of your accounts on public computers.
• Don’t put up ‘bad’ photos of yourself on social media.

Maybe even ‘don’t put yourself online at all until you know what you’re doing’.

Of course, we know this in the back of our minds. And yet, people still don’t seem to really understand what they’re up against - you still see some pretty cringe-worthy stuff out there. With all that stuff comes your name/username, location, your public IP address (Internet Protocol address that basically identifies your computer with a unique set of numbers, just for you). All this adds to who you are, and you might not realize it, but you can be an easy target for the modern criminal. Here’s some tips for you college kids out there about cybersecurity, protecting yourself from hackers and understanding how much privacy you really have.

Identity theft

Technology, if not safely guarded, can become an easy access gateway to your identity. It’s actually surprisingly easy to see what your passcode is when you check your phone during class or around campus. There’s even the term called ‘shoulder surfing’ when an account has already been signed in. The modern criminal can even install spyware on your device if it’s completely vulnerable. Be sure to be a little aware of your surroundings, students.

Always remember to log out of your accounts that you sign into on any public computers at school. One time, a fellow student thought it was smart to log into her iMessage account on a multimedia computer to talk to her friends during lab class. She later forgot to sign out, and for a few days anyone who had that computer was able to see all of the text messages she sent to her friends and back. Of course, later she realized this mistake, and came back to log out. But still. You just don’t do that, got it?

We can picture our cyber criminal to be some sort of IT expert - but actually, it’s getting easier and easier for people to access personal information. All you need really is a computer and a knack for code/technology. People can plug a drive into your USB port for example, and install malware on your personal computer. Don’t think that you, as a student, are always 100% protected because you are within the walls of your campus.

Although most campuses already have a firewall protection installed and most college students have anti-virus software, always remember that it’s not the kind of wall that Trump dreams of. Many are still going to be able to get through the other side. Putting a wall there, most of the time, will do not deter people from reaching their goal! Anyway, I digress.

There have been a plethora of occurrences of hackers being able to steal hundreds and thousands of logins and passwords from major sites like Yahoo and LinkedIn. If you’re the average Joe that uses the same passwords for all their accounts, or include your own name in your passwords - stop doing that. Honestly, you might as well be tapping a cyber criminal on the shoulder, handing him your wallet and keys, and walking away.

Consider changing your passwords or mixing them up every few months. The longer they are, the less you will be prone to being hacked on your online accounts. In a study by The Imperva Application Defense Center (ADC), they found that most people use slang words, names, consecutive numbers and so on. In the study, you can even see where the top attackers are from according to country. Guess who’s 41% of the pie chart? The United States. Consider registering for a “Password Manager”, which can come up with a complex password for each of your online accounts.

And of course, stay away from survey websites, third-party websites that ask for your logins/passwords… Basically any website that looks like a graphic designer got paid $5 to “make something”.

Social media

Everyone is on social media nowadays. When you hear that someone is without the usual necessities (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) you might even assume they just live under a rock.

It’s not difficult to hear someone’s name, and be able to search them up on any social media platform. You’d be able to go through their profile, depending how much they’ve tweaked their privacy settings.

Facebook

People usually prefer Facebook to other social media sites because it’s known to be more private - your profile is seen by your group of friends, and sometimes the surrounding networks around your network.

Facebook still monitors you as a target audience for advertisements. For example, if you were to change your relationship status from single to ‘in a relationship’, you’d start seeing less dating sites, and more couple ads. These are aimed towards you as a customer, and that’s how Facebook makes money. Check out Facebook’s privacy policy, they do have privacy settings, but your information can still be shared with others - lawyers, companies, agents, etc. They won’t need a warrant to look at your information, they just need a simple subpoena.

Even the CIA has jumped on the wagon to look for future recruits through their Facebook channels. Always know that your information can be monitored, no matter what. If you decide to delete your Facebook account, it will still be there for a “reasonable amount of time”, you know, just in case you want it back. When you’ve typed out your information on the web, it stays on the web. Remember how you can tag people in photos, and somehow, it starts asking if this is the actual person before you even tag them? Yeah, that’s a facial recognition software doing its work - from companies like Riya or Polar Rose. If you have a photograph of yourself on the internet, it can still be linked to you and/or your online info. Remember that.

Twitter and Instagram

Most of those on Twitter are on public - there really isn’t a reason to get Twitter if you go private, because then people won’t be able to retweet your witty status updates, right? Anyway, Twitter is probably the easiest media outlet for people to go see who you are. Not only does your personality shine through, but it’s a very convenient way for a stranger to get to know you. Be aware when you post your location, where you were, etc. Criminals can easily monitor your Twitter account to see when the right time to access your physical apartment/dorm or when they can access your private information.

There are so many sites that are able to save your public photos immediately (before you make that decision to delete a photo) and it will always be there, somewhere on the web. These websites pop up when you search your name on Google. Try it, see if any of your photos come up. The old saying rings true: “Think before you post.”

People might even be selling your photos on Instagram, no permission needed. As art. For $90,000. It’s actually happened.

Jailbroken devices

Although you might be able to increase your level of functionality, having a jailbroken phone will actually make your device more susceptible to malware and getting hacked. When jailbreaking a phone, the installed apps override your phone's functions, and could be able to collect your sensitive information or data. And what’s worse, your phone won’t be insured after it’s been jailbroken. Most companies like Apple will not fix your phone for you if you run into any problems.

The physical stuff

In this case, dorm/apartment break-ins could very well happen. Whether it’s just stealing your ID without you knowing it, noticing that you don’t lock your dorm door anymore, or seeing your backpack unattended in the study hall - anything can happen.

Smarter criminals have even invested in things like 3D printing - it’s quite easy for anyone to take a photo of your physical keys lying there on the desk and print it out in plastic form. I know it can sound crazy now, but it is very possible.

Anyway, also remember that it’s becoming too easy for even just regular people to track where you are. If you post constantly on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, your location can be known with a click of a button. This can lead to criminals seeing that you aren’t home, or gather more data about you to steal your identity. Keep in mind how you are putting yourself out there, and what kind of target you can seem to be in the realm of the internet.

Make sure to run virus scans every other week or so, keep your browsers and apps updated, and consider installing browser plug-ins that can help, like Adblock. Also, most college students like to put their computer on sleep mode. I get it, time is precious and sometimes those extra few start-up seconds are wasteful. But if you’re going to sleep, maybe once a week or so, shut your device down. This can help prevent any attempts to access any of your personal data on your computer through some potential installed malware.

Make it a habit. Every few months, change the passwords of different personal online accounts. Make sure you never leave your devices in a public place unattended, and be careful of malware and don’t click on weird advertisements that pop up. Let your computer actually shut down and sleep every so often.

It’s so important to understand and be knowledgeable of cybersecurity and your own privacy while you’re in college. Living a little more independently requires a little more effort and responsibility. Technology is going to get even more advanced, and even more sophisticated. Search for ways to protect yourself against malware and keep yourself updated on hacks on major websites that could potentially have stored your personal data. You got this!