{"id":8747,"date":"2014-10-03T16:02:02","date_gmt":"2014-10-03T16:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=8747"},"modified":"2024-04-10T13:26:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T13:26:28","slug":"protect-yourself-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.guru.com\/blog\/protect-yourself-online\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Protect Yourself Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many of us\u00a0depend on the Internet\u00a0to manage our business, finances, and personal lives. However if you don’t adequately protect yourself online, your information can get in the wrong hands and you can find yourself\u00a0a victim of malicious attacks. Another major bug recently hit\u00a0computer systems (Shellshock), a reminder for\u00a0how\u00a0important it is to make sure your business is safe.<\/p>\n

When you use any website, including Guru.com,\u00a0you face inherent risks. However, you can protect your online\u00a0security\u00a0by taking the following precautions.<\/p>\n

Guru.com Security\u00a0Precautions<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Send and receive payments\u00a0only through Guru.com.<\/strong> All transactions are conducted in a SSL session, protecting your private information from being disclosed to third parties and hackers.<\/li>\n
  2. Use SafePay for the ultimate payment protection.<\/strong> If you use invoicing or try to pay off-site, we cannot help you in the event of a dispute.<\/li>\n
  3. Have an agreement in place for each job.\u00a0<\/strong>This gives you a better chance of getting what you deserve\u00a0in the case of a dispute.<\/li>\n
  4. Don’t send your W-9 info directly\u00a0to your employer.<\/strong> We collect and keep your W-9 information for you. If your employer needs to file taxes on the work they\u2019ve had done we offer a free 1099 service. This helps\u00a0us\u00a0keep your information private and safe.<\/li>\n
  5. Limit the sensitive information\u00a0you share.<\/strong>\u00a0Whether you’re an employer or a freelancer, keep\u00a0sensitive\u00a0information out\u00a0of your job posting or profile. A company name or URL can lead to someone tracking down your email address or phone number. Employers, you can control the amount of exposure your job posting gets. Freelancers, you can\u00a0hide your profile to keep others from being able to see it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    View our Privacy Policy<\/a>\u00a0to read more about how we protect your information on Guru.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u00a0General Online Security\u00a0Precautions<\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Never\u00a0open attachments or emails from unknown sources.\u00a0<\/strong>Be vigilant about what links you click in an email, especially when they come from companies. Also, don’t click on odd messages\u00a0with links.<\/li>\n
    2. Never divulge your online banking credentials.<\/strong>\u00a0There is no scenario in which you would want to provide your credentials to another party (including User ID, password, or token code).<\/li>\n
    3. Do not access your banking sites from links embedded in emails.\u00a0<\/strong>Anyone can pretend to be affiliated with a bank and create a template to gain access to your money. Check the “From” address in the email and, unless it’s from a legitimate company email address, delete it.<\/li>\n
    4. Use different passwords for every account.<\/strong>\u00a0When there is a large-scale password breech, as we saw with LinkedIn or Twitter, it’s clear why having one password is the worst thing you can do. If the password and email address that you use for one account gets in the hands of the wrong person, they can start trying it on other sites and services. Use different passwords on different sites.<\/li>\n
    5. Make sure your passwords are strong.<\/strong> Use a mix of upper- and lowercase letters and numbers. You should also change your most important passwords at least once every six months. You can use password-manager software so you don’t have to memorize them all.<\/li>\n
    6. Protect your computer and browser.<\/strong>\u00a0Make sure if you are using a Windows PC you are using an up-to-date anti-virus or spyware program. PC and Mac users should also\u00a0make sure the\u00a0operating system is up-to-date with the latest security patches.<\/li>\n
    7. Secure your wireless connection. <\/strong>Make sure you’ve protected your home wireless network with a password and you’ve changed the default SSID (your network’s name) to something unique. When connecting to public Wi-Fi networks be safe about what information you are sending over it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Many of us\u00a0depend on the Internet\u00a0to manage our business, finances, and personal lives. However if you don’t adequately protect yourself online, your information can get in the wrong hands and you can find yourself\u00a0a victim of malicious attacks. Another major bug recently hit\u00a0computer systems (Shellshock), a reminder for\u00a0how\u00a0important it is to make sure your business<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":13094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27],"tags":[368],"class_list":{"0":"post-8747","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-employer","8":"category-freelancer","9":"tag-security"},"yoast_head":"\nHow to Protect Yourself Online on Guru<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whenever you conduct business online, you face inherent risks. 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