Are You Safe? How to Detect Data Leaks on Laptops and Smartphones

Data leaks are one of the biggest risks in today's digital era. When personal or business data is leaked, sensitive information such as passwords, financial data and personal information can fall into the hands of irresponsible parties. To protect yourself from the potential dangers of data leaks, it is important to know how to detect whether the data on your laptop or smartphone has been leaked. Below are some steps that can help you detect data leaks and keep your device safe.

1. Watch for Suspicious Activity in Your Account

One of the most common signs of a data leak is suspicious activity in your online accounts. If you receive a login notification from an unknown device or location, or if there are changes to your account information without your knowledge, this could be a sign of a data leak. Change your password immediately and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add another layer of security to the account.

2. Use a Data Leak Monitoring Service

Many data leak monitoring services can help you find out if your data has been leaked. These services, like Have I Been Pwned or features of some security apps, scan a database of security breaches to see if your email or information is on a list of leaked data. Some security services also provide immediate notification if your information is discovered in a new data breach.

3. Check Bills and Transaction History Carefully

If your financial data is leaked, one of the easiest signs to recognize is the appearance of unknown transactions on your credit card or banking account. Check transaction history regularly and watch for any suspicious activity. If you find a transaction that you do not recognize, immediately report it to the bank or relevant financial service and update the password on your account.

4. Use Security Applications That Detect Data Leaks

There are many security apps that have data leak detection and privacy protection features. The app can periodically scan your device for suspicious activity or unwanted system changes. Choose an app that has a good reputation and is equipped with data leak detection, malware scanning, and strong privacy protection. With this application, you can get early notification if there is a threat to the data on your device.

5. Monitor Your Device Data Usage

Unreasonable data usage on your device can be an indicator of suspicious activity or malicious applications. If you notice a sudden spike in data usage, check the apps running in the background. Some apps may attempt to access personal data without your permission. Disable or delete suspicious apps, and make sure you only download apps from trusted sources like the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Protecting personal and business data from leaks requires attention and proactive action. By monitoring account activity, using data leak monitoring services, checking transaction history, and using security applications, you can detect potential data leaks early. These steps are critical to maintaining the privacy and security of your sensitive information.

If you want extra protection to prevent data leaks, Thrive comes with reliable data security solutions, including Yubikey technology. With advanced technology from Thrive, you can protect your sensitive data on your laptop and smartphone from various cyber threats, providing an additional layer of security that is difficult to penetrate. Contact us now for more information on the best security solutions, including Yubikey, for your digital device needs!