Expert Tips for Protecting Your Online Identity During the Holiday Online Shopping Season
Kirsten Hoyt, Academic Dean, College of Information Systems and Technology
This holiday season, the National Retail Federation is forecasting online sales to increase between 7 and 10 percent, to as much as $117 billion. And while e-commerce allows shoppers to avoid the hustle and bustle of traditional retail – it also increases your risks of cyber identity theft.
Whether you’re planning to cross off your list from the comfort of your mom’s couch, or from your favorite coffee shop, Kirsten Hoyt, Academic Dean for the College of Information Systems and Technology is available to discuss how to protect your identity during the online shopping season. In interviews on November 17, she’ll share tips to keeping your information private and secure – especially when using public Wi-Fi.
She’ll also share the results of a recent cyber security survey that found that almost half (47%) of US adults have experienced some sort of personal security breach – yet only 1 in 4 (25%) have invested in protection against cyber theft. And when it comes to connecting to WiFi in public, a quarter of adults (25%) say they always or usually use an unsecured network.
Kirsten’s tips include:
- How to select the most secure passwords
- How to spot “phishy” emails
- How to use firewalls and secure browsers
- When and when not to give out personal information
About the Talent: Kirsten Hoyt is the Academic Dean for the College of Information Systems and Technology. The Academic Dean role is critical to the College’s success in ensuring College excellence in educating the next generation of technology employees and leaders. Kirsten has served as a strategic consultant and is experienced in the analysis, design, development, and evaluation of training/learning solutions focused on meeting business needs. She has worked professionally in finance, education (both K-12 and University), professional development, program management, project management, leadership, and corporate learning. Kirsten is experienced in leading remote and on-site teams, change management, evaluation and assessment of training programs, gap analysis, skills analysis, curriculum roadmaps, and instructional design for instructor-led, virtual, eLearning and mobile learning. She has a background in educational technology, online education, faculty/staff development, learning management systems, vendor management, and curriculum design.
This interview is provided by University of Phoenix
