Guide to Digital Privacy

Sometimes the easiest way for bad actors to gain information on someone it to do some simple searching and get it from their own digital presence. People often give away valuable information in routine posts or discussions. This guide will highlight some of the more common avenues bad actors take to gather this information and steps you can take to avoid them.

For many, “privacy” almost appears to be as unreachable as a mythological concept, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Fortunately, there are numerous steps you can take to safeguard your data and identity.

Public Postings: Sharing information on public platforms such as social media, forums, or group chats nearly ensures that the shared information will become widely known. It is very difficult to restrict who can see this information in these locations.

1. Privacy Settings: Most social media platforms and communication software tools have privacy settings. Depending on the platform, you can configure these settings with as many or as few restrictions as you want. It’s best to adjust these settings to avoid sharing personal information with the general public — unless they can obtain the information regardless of your post, (such as news or public record.)
2. Specific Details: Many systems will utilize your personal information to configure user accounts and recovery options. Be cautious not to post information that could be related to these recovery options. For example, if you talk about your five favorite movies and that’s a security question you frequently use, it makes your accounts more vulnerable.  This suggestion applies for passwords as well. If you use a pass phrase “No3amY45rF@ther” for your accounts and you post frequently that The Empire Strikes Back is your favorite film, it increases the chances that someone might guess your password.

Over-The-Phone: Many people are familiar with cold calls: Unsolicited calls from different vendors, agencies, or other organizations with a particular goal, usually to sell something. Furthermore, it's not uncommon for cold callers to contact you to gather personal information. These callers will start off by offering you something, such as a publication (e.g. an article or white paper) and then press you for personal information so they can “keep in contact.” Typically, cold callers make contact in an attempt to solicit your contact information and personal data, which they may misuse. Be cautious when answering these types of calls. Only provide information that is necessary and/or already public (such as job title.)

End-to-End Encryption: End-to-End (EtE) encryption is a technological process where communicated information is secure throughout the entire transmission. However, there is a common misconception that all communication software platforms employ this level of protection, which is not the case. In reality, many communication software platforms lack true EtE encryption, leaving vulnerabilities in the transmission process where communication could potentially be intercepted. While this may not be a significant concern for most everyday communications, it becomes vital in situations involving sensitive, confidential, or classified information. In such cases, it is imperative to use a tool that supports EtE encryption. At Framingham State, both Zoom (green shield in the upper left) and Microsoft Teams (locked shield icon in the upper left) are EtE encryption-supporting technologies.