Stay protected against cyber threats as you work and engage in today’s digital age. Read on to explore eight simple yet effective tips that help you stay safe online and protect your personal information.
Up until a decade ago, the word “digital” was mostly relevant only in the photography sector, with printed pictures transitioning to digital images on a camera. While such innovation was already considered extraordinary, the word “digital” has continued evolving to have more advanced meanings.
The term “digital” is now commonly used in conjunction with words like “online”, as the internet has permeated almost every area of human life.
The internet has drastically changed the way we communicate, work, and live. We now have nearly unlimited access to information and resources that can make our lives easier than ever.
However, every great innovation comes with its own shortcomings. For instance, digital photography offered the convenience of not having to print and develop each picture captured, but it also led to many photographs being forgotten on devices for years since your work is pretty much done immediately after clicking the picture. Similarly, the convenience offered by the internet in today’s digital age has brought along with it a plethora of complex cybersecurity risks, from identity theft online to ransomware attacks. As cybercriminals find new and ingenious ways to steal our sensitive information, it has become more important than ever to work on better ways to stay protected online.
Good online habits, up-to-date technology, and a few simple measures can drastically reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
This article offers eight tips that can help both casual internet users and business professionals stay safe while browsing and working on the internet. From password management to ensuring social media privacy, our tips have got you covered!
Let’s dive in.
Use strong and unique passwords
One of the most simple yet effective ways to stay secure online is to use a strong, unique password for your accounts. An ideal password should have at least 12 characters, including a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, numerals, and symbols. The best strategy is to avoid using words that can be guessed easily. That eliminates common phrases, popular dictionary words, and names that are closely related to your life.
Instead, you can create a passphrase using random words that would be difficult for others to guess but relatively easy for you to remember.
But this one strong password cannot be used for all your accounts as it would put all your accounts at risk if a hacker manages to access even one of them. You can keep track of all your unique passwords easily using a password manager like 1Password, Dashlane, or LastPass. These tools hold your passwords in a secure vault, so all the only password you need to remember is the one that unlocks your password manager.
Easy peasy!
Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication, commonly referred to as 2FA, is an extra layer of login security that requires a second form of authentication after entering your password. This second factor may be a fingerprint scan, a security key, or a one-time password (OTP) sent to your phone or laptop.
Thanks to 2FA, a hacker won’t be able to access your account without the second factor, even if they somehow manage to decode your password.
Most online platforms offer 2FA as part of their login options to help users stay secure. You can simply search for “two-factor authentication” in the help or settings section of the platform’s website.
We highly recommend enabling 2FA for all accounts, as it allows you to circumvent account break-ins and offers the assurance that you’re the only one with access to your personal information.
Keep your software up-to-date
Keeping your software up-to-date is another important step in securing yourself online. Much like oiling machinery to prevent breakdowns, updating your OS, web browser, and other apps can keep your accounts safe against break ins.
Software updates may include security patches that address well-known vulnerabilities that put your system at risk of being compromised.
Most apps and operating systems offer regular prompts for installing updates automatically. However, you should still manually check for updates to ensure that you’re using the latest versions of all software and apps.
Older versions of software that are no longer supported cannot be considered reliable or safe — one of the few times you can’t believe in “old is gold”.
Stay alert and cautious when opening emails and attachments
Phishing is a common trick that cyber criminals use to make you give up your personal information. This tactic usually involves a hacker sending an email designed to look like it’s from a legitimate source, like your bank or online retailer. The email will ask you to download an attachment or click on a link that will direct you to a fake website that’s visually identical to the authentic site. As you put in your login credentials and other personal information, the hacker collects it at the backend without ruffling any feathers.
The best way to avoid falling prey to phishing scams is to stay extra cautious when opening emails and downloading attachments from unfamiliar senders. Even if a link you’ve received seems to be from a legitimate source, it’s always a wiser option to manually type the URL of the platform’s website into the browser and log in securely from there.
Suggested Read: Top 10 cyber security threats that arose last year
Use a reliable antivirus software
It’s no news to internet users that viruses can access your personal data and even wipe it out completely. But the solution is quite easy to find and implement.
Antivirus software is designed to identify and eliminate malware like viruses, trojans, and spyware that may compromise the security of your device. You can choose from a wide variety of free and paid antivirus products that are meticulously created and regularly updated by reputable developers. Some of the most reliable options are McAfee Total Protection, Norton360, Kaspersky Total Security, and Avast Ultimate.
With the right antivirus software, your devices are definitely better protected against malware, but it’s still important to be careful when downloading and installing new software off the internet. You should read user reviews and check the source of the software before even downloading the installation file. If you’re unsure of the source or reliability of a program, you can use a website like VirusTotal to thoroughly check the file before installation.
Use a virtual private network (VPN)
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in a different location.
On a public WiFi network, you may enjoy the benefits of free internet connectivity, but so is everyone else. A cyber criminal on the same network may try to intercept your online traffic and gain access to your information. However, if you’re using a VPN service, your online traffic is securely encrypted, making it more difficult for cyber criminals to intercept and read your information.
CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN are some of the most reliable and commonly used VPN services worldwide.
Be extra careful with social media
Social media is undoubtedly a significant part of our lives. And while it’s tempting to share your life online for the view, likes, and shares, it is extremely important to regulate how much of your life you’re putting up online.
Based on your online posts and activity, cyber criminals can steal your identity, target you for a phishing scam, and even gain access to your accounts. Therefore, you need to start taking well-calculated and cautious measures to stay safe on social media. Here are some tips that can help:
- If you receive a friend request from someone and you don’t really know them in real life, you should not accept the request. Remember that a follower may just be a cyber stalker.
- Do not share your phone number, email address, or residential address with anyone on social media. Your real friends would already have that information and the rest really don’t need to know.
- Do not click any links or download any attachments forwarded to you on social media. You can search for anything you want by going directly to the official sites of both banks and brands.
- Check and update your privacy settings to ensure that your posts reach the right audience and your personal information stays private.
Backup your data
While backing up data may seem like something you only need to do when changing devices, it is actually a crucial requirement for online safety.
In the event of a ransomware attack, a cybercriminal with access to your data will encrypt it and hold it for ransom, i.e., blackmail you into giving up real personal information in exchange for the photos, videos, contacts, and other data you may have stored on your device.
If you have backed up your data to cloud storage or an external hard drive, you can easily recover your files without giving in to the hacker’s demands.
Conclusion
As our daily lives become increasingly dependent on technology, it is crucial to take the right steps towards online security. The tips discussed in this article can serve as reliable seatbelts, protecting you against cyber attacks as you enjoy your digital joyride.
However, it is also important to remember that these protective measures aren’t just a one-time fix. You need to stay vigilant at all times and keep yourself up-to-date on the latest threats so that you aren’t caught off guard online.
That said, if you feel like your online security has been compromised, you should immediately seek help to fix the problem.
Also Read: Reasons Small Businesses Can’t Afford To Ignore Cybersecurity
