Facebook Security

As the use of social media sites grow, so do the security concerns that go with it. Many of us of have a Facebook or Linked in account, but how secure are we? People tend to share information on social sites that they would not normally share with friends or acquaintances. Most of these sites are adding new features daily and some of the features give applications and search engines direct access to personal information.

The biggest mistake I see people make is entering their date of birth, including the year. This provides someone who is potentially looking to do identity theft a lot of useful information. Many people list their high school or mention pet names, both of which are common security questions for accounts.

Facebook has many security options that allow members to select who can have access to what kind of information or pictures. I would suggest that you visit this section under 'Account Settings' and customize it to your preference.

Below are some basic tip's to help you stay safe and secure on the web.

1. Remove your date or birth from your profiles.
2. Use different passwords for your various online accounts.
   
3. Don't click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails.
4. Make sure you have an up-to-date web browser equipped with an anti-phishing blacklist. Some examples are Internet Explorer 8.0 and Firefox 3.0.10.
5. Make sure you've listed a security question and answer for your online accounts. This will come in handy if your account is compromised and need to prove who you are. You can do this on Facebook in the 'Account Settings' page.
   
6. Remember that you choose what you share and with whom you share it.