Buffalo Business - Spring 2023

Five Ways to Safeguard Your Data

As our personal data increasingly goes digital — and as nefarious hackers become savvier than ever — a data breach is just a click or two away.

We asked Clair Bauman, BS ’98, MBA ’00, director of the Financial Services Regulatory Office at Kyndryl, what you can do to help protect yourself:

  1. Never click on links in emails. Always go to the website directly if you need to log in and check an account.
  2. Don’t call any number provided in an email. If it’s an issue with your credit card, call the number on the back of the card and don’t fall for “urgent requests.”
  3. Make them tell you it’s mandatory. Just because a form asks for your Social Security number doesn’t mean you have to fill it in.
  4. Use a password manager. Services like 1Password help you create strong, unique passwords and will alert you of potential data leaks.
  5. Secure your phone. Our whole lives are on our phones, so make sure you protect yours with a passcode, fingerprint or facial recognition.