Tips & Advice

It’s common practice to pull down the window shades at night. Homeowners invest in high fences. You may even cover the PIN pad when you type in your secret four-digit code at ATMs. Privacy is key to going about your daily life comfortably in your surroundings. Why shouldn’t privacy also extend to your digital surroundings?  

Written by James Schmidt  Editor’s Note: We often speak of online scams in our blogs, ones that cost victims hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This account puts a face on one of those scams—along with the personal, financial, and emotional pain that they can leave in their wake. This is the story of “Meredith,”

Authored by Dennis Pang  Online protection software. Antivirus. The two words get used interchangeably often enough. But sure enough, they’re different. And yet directly related when you take a closer look.  The term “antivirus” has been with us for decades now, dating back to the first software that was designed to prevent computers from getting

Are you an online oversharer? Do you give your full birthday to all your online shopping accounts? Have a few companies you have accounts with been breached but you didn’t take any action at the time? If you have bad digital habits, now is an excellent time to reset your digital presence.  In isolation, these

As technology weaves itself into our lives in new and unexpected ways, some of it will get quite personal and close to home. That made itself clear at CES this year, which makes a strong case for your security.  The more things we connect, the more data we create. Data about ourselves that companies and

Authored by Vonny Gamot  The official 40th birthday of the internet serves as a timely reminder that while it is a fantastic place, we must practice good digital hygiene to safeguard our privacy and identity so we can protect ourselves from the latest threats.   Since its widely recognized creation on January 1st 1983, the internet

It has a way of sneaking up on you. Credit theft and fraud.   Maybe it’s happened to you. Maybe it’s happened to a friend or family member. There’s a call from the bank, a notification in your financial app, or a charge on the statement that’s beyond explanation. Someone else has tapped into your funds.

It’s been a particularly busy and colourful week, scam-wise in our household. Between 4 family members, we’ve received almost 20 texts or emails that we’ve identified as scams. And the range was vast: from poorly written emails offering ‘must have’ shopping deals to terse text messages reprimanding us for overdue tolls plus the classic ‘Dear

Pledging to follow healthier habits is consistently the most popular new year’s resolution. That January 1st promise looks different to everyone: snacking less often, going to the gym more often, drinking more water, drinking less soda, etc. This year, instead of a juice cleanse subscription, opt for a healthier habit that’s not an unappetizing shade

Happy Download Day! (Yes, there’s a day for that.) Today is an excellent day to share downloading best practices to keep all your devices safe from malicious content. It’s tempting to download “free” shows, movies, and video games, but the consequences of doing so can be quite expensive. All it takes is for one malicious

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it: A stolen identity creates a mess. Once they have a few key pieces of personally identifiable information (PII), an identity thief can open new credit lines, create convincing new identities, and ruin an innocent person’s good credit.  If you suspect you’ve been affected by identity theft,

‘It’s the most wonderful time of year’ – we’ve all heard the jingles and read the slogans. But the holiday season can also be a little overwhelming when you’re the one ‘in charge’. Whether it’s prepping for the inevitable influx of new devices, buying the gifts or booking the holiday – there are a lot

Without doubt, the biggest criticism we all have of social media is that everyone always looks fabulous! And while we all know that everyone is only sharing the best version of themselves, let’s be honest – it can be a little wearing. Well, there’s a new social media platform that is determined to uproot our

As 2022 draws to a close, the Threat Research Team at McAfee Labs takes a look forward—offering their predictions for 2023 and how its threat landscape may take shape.   This year saw the continued evolution of scams, which is unlikely to slow down, as well as greater adoption of Chrome as an operating system. It

Happy National App Day! No, we don’t mean apps of the mozzarella stick and potato skin variety, but your mobile apps that let you order dinner, hail a taxi, stay connected to your friends, and entertain you for hours with silly videos. While they’re undoubtedly useful, mobile apps are also a weak spot in some

Payment applications make splitting restaurant bills, taxi fares, and household expenses so much easier. Without having to tally totals at the table or fumble with crumpled bills, you and your companions can spend less stress and more time on the fun at hand.  There are various payment apps available, and the company that may first

Our How I Got Here series spotlights the stories of McAfee team members who have successfully grown their careers. Read more about Brenda’s McAfee’s journey, what a day in the McAfee sales team is like, and what her superpower is.​​​​​​​ Embracing opportunities When I started my professional career, I was in technology but one of the few women

Your phone is likely a daily companion, giving you access to work emails, chats with friends, weather reports, and more — all in the palm of your hand. You can also use your phone for browsing online, looking up everything from your favorite recipes to your most-read media webpages.  While being able to browse whenever

The smarts behind a smart home come from you. At least when it comes to keeping it more private and secure.  Without question, smart home devices have truly stormed the marketplace. We’ve gone from a handful of relatively straightforward things like connected lights, outlets, and cameras to a wide range of fully connected household appliances

For many Aussies, identity theft was always something that happened to other people. People on TV, usually. But the recent spate of data breaches at Optus, Medibank and Energy Australia has made many of us pay far more attention than ever to one of the fastest growing crimes in our country.   According to the Department

In this digital age, communicating online and through our devices has become the norm. From sharing highlights of last night’s game to sending cute animal videos back and forth, so much of our connectedness happens virtually. It’s become so easy to chat with friends and loved ones through social media that we don’t even have

Fewer people carry cash these days, kids included. This growing paperless reality fast-forwards the parenting task of educating kids on financial responsibility. As of 2021, most cash apps allow kids 13 and up to open accounts (previously, the age was 18). Kids can also get a cash app debit card for retail purchases. But while

It’s a question we get a lot from parents: “How can I keep my kids safe when they are constantly hopping between so many different apps?” We get it, there’s a lot to stay on top and all of it changes constantly. Unfortunately, that question doesn’t have a simple answer. But there are some baseline

In the spirit of #PrideMonth, McAfee hosted month-long celebrations across the world. One of these was a live event hosted by the McAfee Pride Community with a guest speaker from the Resource Center that focused on the history of Pride, support, allyship, and belonging. We took a moment to ask our event guest speaker, Leslie

It’s Social Media Day! How are you celebrating? Reposting your very first profile picture from a decade ago? Sharing your most-loved status update or the photo you’re most proud of? This year, consider commemorating the day by learning more about how to keep your information safe. Enjoy your favorite platform, but be on the lookout

The internet is a big place. While it’s changed the world for the better — making our daily lives that much easier! — it can also be a playground for cybercriminals who would love to get their hands on our personal information.   When this happens, it can result in identity theft. While it can be

The internet makes it easy to get a lot done, but not all of it needs to be public. That’s where incognito mode comes in, letting you hide your search history from others who are using your internet-connected device. For example, imagine searching online for “ideas for a surprise birthday party.” You wouldn’t want the

In today’s connected world, you can do so much on the internet. It’s never been easier to stay entertained (Netflix, anyone?), informed, and productive. But it’s important to keep your online activities private and safe, whether you’re checking social media, using a streaming service, or banking online.   With the right solutions, you can have a

If you’re one of the countless Apple iPhone owners out there, there’s a good chance that one of the reasons you love your smartphone is because you’ve heard that Apple devices tend to have fewer vulnerabilities to viruses.   Because of their shared operating system, iOS devices enjoy Apple’s security measures, which keeps them protected from

Heard of the sandwich generation? Well, if you’ve got a tribe of kids and parents who are aging then you are a fully-fledged member! And as members of this special club, not only do we need to manage and keep our offspring in check, but we also have to reserve some energy to help our