Hacker’s Top Tip: The Unexpected Move to Safeguard Your Data No Matter What!

Today, it has never been easier for cybercriminals to infiltrate our daily lives. A mere date of birth found on a public profile, a last name linked to a first name, or an old phone number are enough. Hackers no longer need to breach complex computer systems to hack into our lives: these seemingly trivial pieces of personal information are the perfect keys to steal our identity or scam us. By carelessly leaving this data exposed, we unknowingly become prime targets for increasingly sophisticated and personalized scam waves.

In response to this invisible threat, voices like that of Clément Domingo are rising to guide us. Known by the pseudonym SaxX, this “Friendly Hacker and Cyber Diplomat” has made it his mission to make cybersecurity accessible to everyone. Recently featured on Guillaume Pley’s show LEGEND, this dedicated expert reminded us that protecting our privacy doesn’t require extraordinary technical skills. During the interview, he offered a range of extremely practical, pragmatic, and accessible tips for better protection against hackers.

Among his recommendations, one stands out as almost counterintuitive yet is regarded as the best-kept secret by security professionals: the art of lying about one’s identity. To avoid being easily found online, Clément Domingo advises simply using a fake name, intentionally misspelling one’s first name, or altering one’s birth date, especially when signing up for loyalty programs or creating a new account on an online store. Why provide your real name, exact birth date, or main address to a platform that might be hacked tomorrow? Opting for a pseudonym can also help to obscure your tracks. If a database is compromised, the hackers will end up with false information that cannot be used to trace back to your real life.

This smart concealment also extends to our physical surroundings and digital access. The hacker suggests never using your personal home address for everyday purchases: always opt for delivery to a relay point or a “pick up” locker to avoid geographic tracking. On the digital side, despite frequent reminders, security involves ending the use of generic, endlessly reused passwords. The expert stresses the importance of adopting a password manager or generator to create unique, long, and complex access keys.

To further lock down your digital ecosystem, two essential habits must be added to your routine. The first is systematically enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on all your critical accounts (emails, social networks, banks); even if a scammer gets your password, they will be stopped without the temporary code sent to your phone. The second involves compartmentalizing your communications by creating a “throwaway” email address, used exclusively for loyalty cards and temporary subscriptions, thus keeping your main inbox safe from phishing attempts. Protecting yourself from scams does not depend on technology alone but on a shift in attitude: becoming a bit more unpredictable than those trying to deceive us.