Best practices for maximizing the security of your online accounts

Why is it essential to secure your online accounts?

In its 2021 edition, INSEE reports that 50% of Internet users in the European Union, surveyed between 2018 and 2019, have been exposed to attempts by fraudsters, or even fallen prey to cybercrime. For example, 35% have received fraudulent mail with the aim of stealing personal data, and 30% have discovered malware installed on their computer, tablet, smartphone or TV. Finally, 13% of Internet users have been victims of online fraud.

How can you maximize the security of your passwords?

By managing your passwords properly

The best way to prevent fraudsters from spoofing your mailbox or stealing your financial or personal data is to follow the advice below. We recommend that you :

• use a different password for each of your online accounts
• refrain from using passwords that have already been used in the past for the same site
• use perfectly anonymous passwords, banning dates of birth, first names of spouse or children, or the name of your pet
• create long passwords, i.e. with more than 10 characters
• include numbers, upper and lower case letters and special characters (for more advice, visit the CNIL website: https: //www.cnil.fr/fr/generer-un-mot-de-passe-solide )
• change your passwords regularly
• never write them down on paper and never pass them on to others
• do not write them down in an unencrypted electronic file (such as a note or Word document) stored on your phone or computer.

By choosing an application to manage and store your passwords

It's often tempting to use the same password for all your online accounts, so as not to clutter your memory. In doing so, you're taking a big risk, as password theft is on the rise.

In fact, with the phishing method, which consists of tricking users into giving up their login details, fraudsters can get hold of your passwords without any great difficulty. If you're used to using the same password to log in to all your accounts, you're giving them broad access to all your information.

Today, there are password safes to store your passwords and increase your cybersecurity. These are password managers that allow you to create your own passwords, or that take care of designing random passwords. Examples include KeePass, LockPass and Dashlane, all of which are available free of charge. Beware of the temptation to use the password manager of web browsers (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, for example): while this may make life a little easier, it is one of the main causes of fraud.

Take certain precautions with public Wifi networks

It's becoming increasingly common to find Wi-Fi access points (in hotels, restaurants, petrol stations and even railway stations and airports). 

On the other hand, most of these Wifi networks are open, which means you can connect without authentication.-, or very insecure, which means your data is highly exposed and therefore easy to capture. That's why we strongly advise you against logging on to your online bank account when using an unsecured Internet network, making purchases or carrying out sensitive operations.

Best practices when using the Internet

Securing your passwords is certainly a key point, but it's not the only one. There are other precautions to take:

• When shopping online, check that the merchant site has "https" security.
• At checkout, make sure the transaction is secure, by checking for a small padlock on the URL line.
• Use double authentication. This involves validating your payment by entering a code that your bank sends you by SMS.
• Use the virtual bank card or e-carte bleue offered by some financial institutions. It is valid only for a single purchase or for a predefined amount.
• Don't save your bank details on merchant sites, but re-enter them each time you make a purchase.
• Check your bank accounts regularly to ensure that no fraudulent transactions have been made. If this is the case, notify your bank immediately.
• Make sure you protect access to your computers, tablets, smartphones... with a password and antivirus software.

Finally, beware of e-mails or text messages urging you to contact your bank, tax office or gas and electricity supplier as quickly as possible for some unusual reason - to claim back an overpayment, for example.

And at Anytime?

If you receive an e-mail that you're not sure is from Anytime, check that the address ends in " anyti.me " - that means it's from someone on our team. Of course, if in doubt, never hesitate to contact us!