All the news of financial data breaches have many consumers on edge. In fact, the Better Business Bureau notes a Gallup study which finds that consumers fear getting their identity hacked more than any other crime they were asked about. An overwhelming 69% of consumers share this fear. In light of the recent hacks at Target and Home Depot, this number is not surprising.
In addition, consumers are also exhibiting anxiety in response to programming glitches such as the Shellshock/Bash Bug and Heartbleed.
In response to these widespread fears, the Better Business Bureau shares some tips on how to guard against attacks such as the Shellshock/Bash Bug. The BBB describes this as a system flaw affecting machines that use Unix-based systems such as Linux and Mac OS X.
Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the BBB serving Chicago and Northern Illinois said in a statement that these system flaws have existed for roughly 25 years, but have just been discovered. “The real concern for everyone is that this bug allows hackers to not only take control of the computer or device, but to tell it or others what to do,” says Bernas.
The BBB offers these tips:
- Make sure to install a firewall.
- Apply patches for routers, computers and other devices as they are available.
- Run updated security software on all devices.
- Contact your manufacturer with specific questions
- Monitor all credit and debit card accounts.
- Change your passwords to protect your personal and financial information and to restrict access to those accounts.
For more information, visit the Better Business Bureau website.