SALT LAKE CITY — Are you one of those people who is constantly getting hacked? There could be several reasons why you’re more prone to getting hacked than others.

Even if you’ve never been hacked, here are some great tips to help you avoid it.

Password security

One effective password security tool is multi-factor authentication. You’ve probably used it without realizing it, as some companies that use MFA includes Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and WordPress.

By using multi-factor authentication, you can add an extra layer of protection to your login process by combining your password with a second factor that will confirm your entry to a site. This second factor could be any number of things: a code texted to your phone, your fingerprint, your face or a USB key that plugs into your device. In the instance you would use MFA, you would log in as you normally would, and then a text with a code is automatically sent to the phone you have set up with this account.

This is one method that has long been preached by online security specialists, but often gets overlooked by many online users. A strong password includes uppercase, lowercase, numbers and punctuation, according to Intel Digital Security. Don’t store your password in a saved file and most importantly, don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Some companies will require you to change your password frequently for added security, but it is something you should do regularly for all accounts to avoid hacking. Here are some tools that will securely store your passwords for you: LastPass, 1Password.

Viruses

Malware, often referred to as viruses, is any type of program that harms your computer. Malware comes in various forms, but usually stems back to you clicking on something you shouldn’t have. This includes unsafe attachments in emails. If a link says something along the lines of “You’ve won,” “You’re infected,” or “Flash Update Needed,” don’t click on it, according to tips from Intel. Visiting harmful websites also could infect your computer.

Email scams

Speaking of sneaky emails, here are some ways you can spot a dangerous one. Email phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive and personal information from an individual by pretending to be a person, company or site they are familiar with, according to Intel.

For example, you might get an email that looks like it’s from your bank. How can you tell it’s not from your bank? Look at the sender’s email address. Hackers will often make an email address that looks like it belongs to a company, but will often contain a slight difference, according to Intel. If you continue to read the email, you might find various typos that would not come from a real bank.

Another tip off that you are receiving an email from a hacker is if the email is asking you to share personal information such as passwords, account numbers or social security numbers via email. Remember: Never click. When in doubt, call your service provider and double check with them to see if the email is legitimate.

Sharing TMI

Sharing too much information on social media can make it easier for hackers and other criminals to steal not just electronic information, but your physical belongings as well. Criminals have been known to plan home break-ins by monitoring social media posts to see when people have gone out of town. If you’re leaving your home unattended for a while, avoid posting about it on social media.

Security questions will often request personal information such as schools you’ve attended, your home address, first and last names of family members and where you were born. In some cases, this information can be recovered by hackers and should not be shared. Avoid sharing your physical address, date of birth, social security number, credit card number or passport number on social media or on other public forums.

Using Public Wi-Fi

If you’ve ever tried to log into a public Wi-Fi network, you might have seen a pop-up notifying you that the network you are connecting to does not have a secure connection. This means that any information you share while logged into this network might be in danger of being recovered. You might want to rethink purchasing plane tickets, accessing banking information or using credit card information while connected to these networks.