Protecting your info. from hackers

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - It's likely the largest cyber-attack ever against local government.

Social security numbers, business records and other personal information on millions of people in South Carolina are now in the hands of hackers.

It’s a situation that's becoming more and more common.

JJ Filiault of New Ashford told 22News, “It's a serious concern I know I've taken precautions to make sure that I'm as protected as I possibly can be and I don't think people really understand the potential significance of what they could lose through these data breaches."

Whether paying a bill online or making purchases, experts say it's important to pay attention to the type of website and trust your instincts.

Anthony Mutti, the Director of Administrative Information Systems at Western New England University, told 22News, “I actually know a lot of mom and pop kind of websites where you put your credit card information in and it's actually emailed to that grandmother at her computer and email is inherently not secure."

Services like PayPal, where you give your information to the company and they pay online vendors can limit the exposure of your information.

It's also important to look for fraudulent transactions on your bank and credit card statements.

However, no matter how vigilant you are, there's always a risk.

Mutti explained, “There's no such thing as a 100% secure website it doesn't exist. Any website can be hacked, it's just a matter of how persistent someone is and what kind of data is stored."