Are you worried about your online safety and privacy?
While the Internet provides us with access to all the information we want, it can also be a scary place. This is often because there are a lot of looming threats that can cause harm to you and your family at any time. In fact, there have been as many as 4,000 cyberattacks happening per day all over the Internet.
With the kids using the Internet nowadays, it’s important to invest in Internet safety. What’s great is that it’s as easy to avoid these threats as it is to become a victim to them.
To help you increase your online security, read what’s below. Use these tips to protect your data and yourselves while browsing online.
1. Install Web Protection Software
The best thing you can do to stay safe online is to install software made to protect you from online threats. These are invaluable since they can protect you from the most common threats on the Internet, malware.
Viruses and malware attacks are common because they can get into your computer with ease. The most common way for you to get them is by downloading an infected file. You can also get them by clicking on suspicious adware on shady websites.
This is more likely to happen than you think, especially if you have children who share the same computer as you. They don’t know what to avoid on the Internet and will often click on everything that appeals to them.
Having antivirus software installed will help you defend your device against these attacks. They will detect known code for the viruses on the Internet. They will then isolate and delete the file to prevent it from infecting the rest of the device.
2. Create Strong and Unique Passwords For Each Website You Frequent
Protecting privacy online can be as simple as creating a strong password for your online profiles. Doing this is important as most people give out too much information on social media platforms. You don’t want anyone else to get a hold of that information, so you should beef up your passwords.
When creating a password, it’s best that you don’t use your birthday or something similar. Many people know that this is the usual case, and will attempt to enter your account with that knowledge in mind. This also makes it easier for people who know you to hack your accounts.
Use a random string of letters and numbers for your password. Throw in some capitalized letters and special characters in there, too, for good measure. This makes it harder for people to brute force their way into your account.
It’s also worth noting that it’s best to create unique passwords for each account you have on the Internet. Like with the birthday passwords, it’s also common for people to have the same password for different accounts. Once people figure this out, they’ll have access to all your profiles.
Make major alterations or use a different password altogether. It’s the best way for you to ensure online safety.
3. Look Out For Common Scams
Another way to protect yourself online is by knowing what to protect yourself against. There are many scams that can damage you or your computer in one way or another. Knowing them is the first way for you to avoid them.
The most common way to scam people is through email. This is why it’s important to consider the emails that you open or respond to. Most people will try to get you to give out some sensitive information like your password to the account.
Knowing better is a great way to avoid this scam. No one will be asking for your password for any reason. Keep this in mind, and you’ll keep your account safe.
Another way for email scammers to get you is to deliver a virus. When you see that an email has an attached document, verify its reliability before anything. It can contain a virus that will harm your computer.
Relationship scams are also another thing to watch out for. These are people who try to win your trust over the Internet. After a while, they’ll try to get you to divulge things like your password and such.
It’s best that you keep things confidential on the Internet, no matter how much you hit it off with your online friend. A good rule of thumb will be to block someone as soon as they ask for any of your personal information.
4. Guard Your Personal Information
Speaking of personal information, guard it like it’s your life. It’s important to do this because someone may steal your life away from you. By this, we mean that you may be among the 14.4 million victims of identity fraud.
Becoming a victim can put your finances in a bad spot. To prevent this, it’s best that you keep personal information to yourself. The best way to do this is by not divulging your information to anyone, as mentioned above.
You should also watch what you post online. Many people don’t realize this, but each of your posts on social media can be full of information. You may not even know that you’re letting people know about info that you’d rather keep to yourself.
Make sure to keep your posts clear of any names, addresses, or phone numbers. No matter how small these pieces of information are, determined thieves will use it.
5. Connect to Trusted Networks Only
One of the easiest ways for people to hack your device is through public WiFi networks. These unsecured networks leave your device open for hacking. They only need to highjack the network and enter your device through the connection you make.
This makes it important to stay away from these networks. It’s better to carry around a portable network for you to use while you’re traveling. You should remember to secure it with a good password, though.
If you need to connect to a network, make sure you’re taking every precaution to protect yourself. Using a VPN is a good way to do this. These will stop hackers in their tracks before they can access your files and data.
6. Use Separate Cards When Shopping Online
Online shopping has become a boon for many people during the pandemic. However, this meant that hackers have more victims.
Because you input your credit card info when buying something, it leaves you vulnerable to financial attacks. While it’s impossible to avoid this, you can control the damage, at least.
Using a different card for online purchases is the best way to do this. Only put in as much money as you need in this card when buying something. This way, there won’t be anything to steal from the card when they hack it.
7. Teach Your Kids to Avoid Online Threats
Children are among the people who are most susceptible to online attacks. These can come in different forms like scams and cyberbullying. They can also have access to inappropriate sites, where scams are even more common.
A good way to prevent anything bad from befalling your children is to teach them what to avoid. Telling them how to identify common scams ensures their protection along with the security of your personal information. This is important as kids are prone to divulging information like names or addresses.
It’s also a good idea to encourage them to talk about their online activities. This way, you’ll know who they’re talking to online. It’s a great way to alert yourselves of any suspicious individuals or to prevent them from being victims of cyberbullying.
8. Examine Websites Carefully
It’s important that you have a keen eye when visiting different websites on the Internet. Some people design their sites to represent trusted organizations like banks and such. This is how phishing attacks account for 90% of data breaches.
Prevent yourself from falling victim by examining websites with a keen eye. The first thing you should look at is the website’s domain. Secure websites have the HTTPS prefix while unsecured ones only have HTTP.
Trust-worthy websites will also never ask for your password or personal info. Keep this in mind when browsing any website you visit.
9. Keep Your Device Up to Date
Malware and other digital attacks change and evolve every day. What’s great is that our devices have great built-in defenses against them. These prevent the entry of suspicious data and the egress of encrypted data.
However, these will only protect you against most threats if you keep your OS updated. This is why you should never skip any updates that your device tells you to get.
The only problem is that some devices, often the old ones, aren’t supported by the newer updates anymore. This means that you should get a new, reliable device for you to use. Look here for great deals and get yourself a new device now.
Increase Internet Safety Today
Internet safety is of the utmost importance. It’s essential to keep your privacy protected and your data safe. Use these tips to make the Internet a safe place for you and your family today!
Investing in online security is the best way for you to keep your data to yourself. Did you know that there are more ways you can stay safe while you’re online? Read more of our guides to learn what else you can do to improve online safety today!
