In a world defined by technological advancements and digital innovation, the concepts of privacy, security, and convenience have taken center stage. Convenience allows everyday tasks to be simpler, faster, and more efficient. However, with the constant connectivity and data-driven nature of our activities, the balance between privacy, cybersecurity, and convenience is delicate, but critical.
The digital world offers countless benefits, from ordering groceries to our doorsteps to managing health care appointments online, to staying connected with a friend living across the country. It’s important to consider how much we embrace convenience without risking our privacy and online cyber safety. For Veterans especially, who often use convenience to manage their health and benefits, it’s important to understand the risks and how best to safeguard their information.
Privacy and Security Risks
Our online activities, preferences, and behaviors allow others to collect, track and analyze data about us and increase the risk of misuse of our personal data.
Imagine this: A Veteran signs up for a discount program on a popular app that offers rewards for purchases. During registration, the app requests permissions for their location, browsing habits, and contact information — including their email address. Without fully understanding how this information might be used, the Veteran agrees to the terms.
The app company sells their data to third-party advertisers, leading to a surge in unsolicited calls, emails, texts, and online advertisements. Among these is a phishing email that appears to be from an official VA account, offering exclusive benefits. Trusting its authenticity, the Veteran clicks the link and unknowingly provides sensitive financial details to a scammer. The result? Financial loss, compromised benefits, and significant emotional stress.
Striking the Right Balance
How can you strike a balance between privacy and cybersecurity versus convenience? It begins with informed decision-making and understanding the trade-offs associated with the use of convenient technologies and services.
Here are some tips:
Stay Informed: Did you know 56% of adults fail to read privacy policies, leaving them unaware of how their data is used? Knowing how your personal data is collected, stored, and shared is essential and you should take the time to read privacy policies, especially when signing up for new services, whether it’s for health care, benefits, or social connections.
Use Strong Security Practices: Always use strong, unique passwords or passcodes for your online accounts and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). Keep your devices updated with the latest security patches to protect against vulnerabilities. Use a password manager that saves your passwords with encryption and creates unique and complicated passwords for you.
Limit What You Share: Consider whether the convenience of using a service is worth sharing certain types of personal information. For example, do you really need to give out your full address or financial details for a service?
Use a Secure Network: Never use an unsecured public Wi-Fi Network when managing your banking or personal information. If you have them, use your home Wi-Fi — or use your phone data when on the go.
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