Tips to keep personal information safe on the Internet

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Many people trust the Internet to safely protect credit card numbers, personal information and private photos. But tech experts say people shouldn't.

Patrick Nielsen, senior security researcher for Kaspersky Lab, predicts that this year criminals will go after corporations directly looking for a big catch, which could affect customers.

One potential target is financial institutions, he said, and virtual payment networks can be at risk too as they grow in popularity.

"It's really clear that an attack on one organization can compromise the privacy and security, confidentiality and intimacy of hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions," Nielsen said.

Ian Scherr, executive editor at CNET.com, recommends using a better password to keep from having personal accounts hacked. People should use a different password on every website and double check links before clicking any of them.