Where people used to only have to worry about things like stranger danger and shredding personal documents, the Internet presents a whole new area of personal privacy.

In today’s world of shared information and cookies, it might become difficult to keep your financial and other personal data safe. Below are five reasons to exercise caution to protect your data:

Identity Theft

With digitized records and information sharing, it’s never been easier for your information to fall into the wrong hands. Third party companies, like Global Learning Systems, help to safeguard your information online, but there are also simple ways to protect your information: limit who you give it to in the first place.

Not All Sites are Trustworthy

Despite the common tendency to trust people and sites you deal with online, be cautious. Money transactions in particular may subject your information to exposure, depending on the source.

Deal only with reputable and trusted sites, such as PayPal or Google Checkout. These third-party payment-processing sites can help you purchase many things online while consolidating who has your payment information.

Phishing

Despite the sportsmanlike sound of the word, phishing seriously harms you by exposing personal information. Identity thieves use phishing tools to pretend they are a site you trust and use already.

If you are logging into an account and come against questions not typically asked, close your browser immediately. Don’t trust a login page that requires a social security number or address. The sites web address sometimes changes when phishing occurs.

Spam

Junk email seems fairly harmless, but these messages often contain complex viruses that send information from your computer’s hard drive to unsavory recipients. Something as simple as an accidental click on a link in your junk mail folder could result in disaster.

To avoid this problem, install software that filters most spam from your inbox. You’ll save yourself the trouble of deleting junk mail while avoiding data exposure.

Online Organizers

The ability to plan your month and share your appointment book provides convenience and helps to simplify your life. But, be aware that not all web applications have your best interests in mind.

Be choosy about where you store your information. To-do lists and online calendars in the wrong hands can cause problems, too. If you go forward with these things in mind, you’ll ensure the safety of your online data.