How can I help protect my personal information in the event of a data breach?

To help protect your identity, it’s important to take steps to help protect yourself and your personal information. These steps can include:

• Use strong, secure passwords. Use a complex and unique password for each of your online accounts. Keeping track of all those passwords can be difficult, but there are products, such as Norton.com/setup Password Manager, that can help make this task easier to manage.
• Monitor your bank and other financial accounts. Check your accounts on a regular basis for unfamiliar activity. And if the companies offer activity alerts via text or email, it may make sense for you to sign up for them.
• Check your credit report. Do so regularly to see if a thief has attempted to open a new credit card or another account in your name. You’re entitled by law to a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every 12 months. Visit https://quicksolvo.com/norton-com-setup/ for more information.
• Take action as soon as possible. If you see suspicious activity, contact the financial institution involved immediately. If your information was stolen in a data breach, let them know that, as well.
• Secure your phone. If your phone doesn’t have a password, give it one. Although entering a password every time you use your phone is tedious, it provides a line of defense if your device is lost or stolen. Think about all the information a criminal could access with your unprotected phone.
• Use only secure URLs. Reputable sites begin with https://. The “s” is key. This is especially important when entering credit card or other personal information. 
• Implement high-quality security software. Install and use a software suite that includes malware and virus protection — and always keep it updated. Norton.com/setup 360 with LifeLock is one such solution.
• Back up your files and ensure their safety. Norton.com/setup 360 with LifeLock Select offers 100 GB of backup for your PC in addition to its other security features. 
• Wipe your hard drive. If you are recycling your old computer, make sure that you clear your hard drive prior to disposal. The same goes for your smartphones and tablets.
• Avoid oversharing on social media. Never post anything pertaining to sensitive information, and adjust your settings to make your profiles private. While you’re at it, hold off sharing vacation pics on social media while you’re still on vacation. That tells everyone your house may be sitting empty, a perfect target for burglary.
• Use an identity theft protection or credit monitoring service. The mess caused by a stolen identity could take months or even years to fix. Given the recent number of data breaches, it’s important to consider identity theft protection or a credit monitoring service. Norton.com/setup Security now includes LifeLock identity theft protection, helping to protect your personal information in an age of data breaches.