Many Network Security students and individuals in everyday life are concerned about identity protection and rightfully so. Trusted companies are breached every day and information is leaked. The legal aspect aside, it still happens and private information is still breached. This is one reason information should be monitored and watched over. Some of the resources for my identity protection I use are going to be listed below.
I personally use identity protection services to monitor the activity of my information. While this can be a security risk in itself, as your information is held by a company that could be breached, some individuals like myself take this approach to monitor identity activity. These services usually provide an ability to view new credit cards made under your name or breaches that have happened and could have affected you.
Open Source Intelligence is another resource that can be used to increase your awareness of the protection of your identity. Understanding what is currently out on the Internet about yourself is a large step in understanding what other individuals or employers can see about yourself. This is helpful to all individuals especially individuals pursuing Network Security as your online presence is vital to your digital citizenship.
Changing passwords and information is a good step in securing your identity in the cyber world. Not using your actual name and changing passwords frequently for different accounts is a good idea in certain situations. Every situation will differ as some areas might require a full real name like bank accounts (which can also be breached) and other services.
I could write a book on identity protection, but this covers some of my main points and core areas I see in my daily life. Whether or not you are a Network Security student or just looking into securing your identity I hope these tips will help you further your endeavor in identity protection.
Thanks for reading!
-Andrew M - Student Ambassador/Network Security Student.