In the social network, trust is the currency, and there is always something new to learn about the latest social media apps, changes to the existing most popular social media apps, and the tactics of cyber thieves and criminals to gain our trust and then exploit us. And so it goes with viruses and malware which are scripts and codes and apps designed to exploit individuals by stealing identities from social media accounts and other personal data accounts including banking, and/or to torment through cyber bullying and stalking.

Email hacking is just one of the many ways in which cyber criminals seek to access personal information in order to exploit and plunder. As people become more accustomed to smart devices, every consumer product is web-enabled. The common term for this new reality is the “internet of things”, or IoT. Literally everything from cars to refrigerators and baby monitors are equipped with internet-enabled programming to operate remotely, according to consumer-prescribed settings which enhances convenience (for setting alarms, timing events and enabling remote access) and also introduces an element of risk from cyber hackers.

Christmas is a time when many families are making new investments in devices and apps. According to Google, the top searches for Christmas gift purchases are devices and game consoles, followed by wearable gear like FitBit. The most common problem with these new gadgets is the improper disposal or redeployment of the old ones leaving your personal information vulnerable to thieves and bad actors. According to cyber safety experts, deleting files is not enough.