Back it up...

And watch your back.

After the experiences with my computer and Internet access these past few days, I got a refresher course on security from the tech who restored my service yesterday. (I highly recomend Chipheads for all your computer needs.)

Always back up your work, always keep up to date with the updates that come through. And never share your password - change it regularly, and never use the same password. For instance, if you use your personal password at work - don't do that!

In my old job I always backed up everything - even emails - onto disk. My time record was backed up, all files, and any other documentation - when I resigned my position, I took these with me. But at home, I never think of doing that.

I will now.

Security is such an important issue these days. For instance, do you know where your credit card number and information is? In your wallet or your purse? Yeah, but it is also in company data bases. Oftentimes it floats around a business office on receipts or orders. Many people have access to it. Some companies will tell you the number is encrypted in their data base, but if they want, they can access it, print it out to check it against receipts, that bear the number and are stored, often in unsecured locations.

I worked at a place that insisted upon taking credit card numbers from customers for a service the company offered. They were recorded in a book, with the clients information, in an unsecured location. I stopped the practice.

At the same company, there was an instance that occurred involving a discrepancy on a purchase, the client left believing his charge was complete, albeit he had paid less than the amount required. The sales person charged the customer less than what the item actually cost. The company tried to contact the client by phone and was unable to do so. They may have sent a letter, yet with no reply from the client, they just added the balance due to his credit card. That is illegal of course, unless the customer agrees to the transaction. In this case the unauthorized transaction caused the client to exceed his limit on his account. This wasn't an isolated incident - maybe not a daily occurrence, but it wasn't the first time either.

So watch your credit information, make sure you are dealing with a trustworthy company.