Additional Ways To Protect Your Electronic Information

• When performing Internet transactions that involve the use of personal information, first read the site’s privacy statements. If no privacy statements are readily available, don’t provide any personal information to the site.

• When upgrading your personal computer for a new one, be cautious as to what happens to the old systems. Have your hard drive erased completely, even if you are throwing it away or donating it to charity. Use free or purchased software to clean the hard drive so no one can retrieve previous information. Just deleting files is not enough.

• When using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), use a password to protect access to the device. Keep as little confidential information on your PDA as possible. In the event it is lost or stolen, you will not be at risk of the information getting into the wrong hands.

• Make sure your computer is password protected, especially a laptop. In many cases the theft of a laptop is not just for the physical device but also for the confidential data inside.

• Think twice before entering confidential information (such as making Internet purchases or storing a resume) on a public personal computer at a public library or copy center. Even after you have deleted a file or shut down the browser application, someone could still follow behind you and gain access to the information on the PC’s hard drive.