In the News
Maintaining account privacy continues to struggle in the digital age. In Microsoft reveals hackers accessed some Outlook.com accounts for months, Tom Warren at The Verge discusses how some accounts were exposed from January to March of this year due to compromised credentials. Warren explains that login and other personal information were not stolen. Warren acknowledges that Microsoft has issues an apology and statement regarding the incident.
Our Take
Information managers such as Outlook often store large amounts of personal information. The reality of privacy breaches and potential information theft from user accounts is alarming. While it is beneficial that Microsoft does not believe that highly sensitive and personal information was accessed, the existence of a security glitch for so long is alarming. With more and more personal data being stored online, it is crucial that companies take greater precautions to avoid incidents like this one. On the consumer end, the frequency of account exposures should serve as a warning to limit the amount of information stored online…only store the essential information. Whenever possible use external storage options and always encrypt your data.
Recommendations
How can you protect the security and privacy of your devices and accounts?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Utilize additional security/privacy measures and settings on apps, accounts, and platforms whenever possible
- Check your email, financial accounts, and credit reports regularly for abnormal activities