Why should we be careful which website we trust with our data?

In other words, how can private data become public? With the development of online services, we web users have become accustomed to entrusting our personal data to various providers. Although the security of websites has been strengthened over the years, it is still worth considering which online store we trust with our credit card information.

The protection of personal data first starts with each of us. By using the Internet and various online services, we users leave behind a large digital trail of personal data that is (mostly) outside of our control collected by online service providers, or that we voluntarily publish on the Internet ourselves. Of course, there are also online services that require us to disclose certain personal data in exchange for their use. This information often includes:

Your first and last name,
Your residential address,
gender and age,
Contact information, such as email addresses and phone numbers,
Data on means of payment (credit cards, PayPal, data on transaction accounts, ...),
Other personal data related to the use of a specific online service.

The vast majority of providers that require the provision of your personal data in order to use the services ensure the security and privacy of your personal data. With the adoption of the regulation GDPR, which requires higher standards of personal data protection from providers who provide online services to citizens of EU member states, there is also a noticeable improvement in the security of websites. Regardless, online service providers remain one of the most popular targets for cybercriminals. What 43 % cyber attacks for example, they are said to be aimed at smaller online stores.

And what does this mean for web users? This means that there is a high probability that our data has already found its way into one of the databases that cybercriminals made public online after a successful cyber attack. All data that you provide to the online service provider is of course stored by the provider, but many providers make a key mistake - they store the data unencrypted. This means that anyone who accesses your data (provider or cybercriminals) can freely read your personal data. And if, after a successful hack, cybercriminals post your personal information online in unencrypted form, it can be accessed by anyone with an Internet connection.

How can we protect ourselves from this type of misuse of personal data? Once we provide personal data to an online service provider, it's too late, because then we lose control over their security. That's why it's important to give some thought to website security before submitting any information.

At first glance, it is difficult to assess the security of a website. Therefore, we have prepared some warning signs for you to pay attention to before leaving your information on the website:

Always check if you are on the right website first. Check if the address in the URL line is correct - pay special attention to spelling!
Observe the security indicators provided by your web browser! These include a lock icon next to the URL bar, a security warning that appears if the browser does not trust the website, and various visual indicators next to individual links.
Use one of the free tools for a quick website security check. One of the more popular and accurate offers VirusTotal.
Be aware of online scam opportunities. Offers that are too good to be true, (too) high discounts or promises of high earnings are the most common signs of online scams.

By taking just a few simple steps, you will greatly reduce the risk of your personal information suddenly becoming publicly available. At best, this means an increase in spam for you, but if you are a publicly exposed person, it can trigger a wave of targeted cyber attacks against you.

However, since most of us used the Internet even at a time when digital hygiene was not yet a topic that was often discussed, our digital footprint is also larger than we would like. And we can help you with that. Contact us and we will be happy to help you find and remove your personal data from inappropriate places.