When you ask someone who has been robbed whether they were surprised by the attack, they will indeed say yes. People are robbed when they are least expecting it, i.e., when they’re at their most vulnerable. However, you might be inviting danger by performing certain unsafe activities online. 

When it comes to our security, it’s privacy and financial well-being that all of us are arguably most keen to protect. We are eager to keep our financials safe. It would be ghastly to see your bank balance showing only zeroes, or what is even worse, negative balance, isn’t it? 

We share with you 5 security mistakes repeatedly made by people online. Taking these casually makes you vulnerable and puts you under constant threat of malware infections, identity theft, or something worse.

You Expose Your Home Network

If your Wi-Fi protections are weak, you might end up in big trouble. There are multiple configurations allowing you to increase the security of your home network. At the very least, you can prevent your neighbors from piggybacking on your Wi-Fi. 

One of the best recommendations is to create a strong password. It should be unique, lengthy, and challenging to crack. Make it a point to store it somewhere safe, like a notebook that you keep hidden, or use a password manager. You should also make it a point to see that your router has a unique and robust password and keep it secure. 

Delaying System and Software Updates

It is a very common security mistake we make. Even after we have been careful and installed anti-malware software, we are callous about updating it. You need to update the program itself and the database of all the potential threats you are up against. 

Most programs come with the option of updating themselves automatically following a particular schedule. Then, there are some that update every time you open them. You should always keep your anti-malware program up to date to make sure that you stay protected from all the latest threats. 

You Grant Access to Apps Without Thinking Enough

Many apps on your devices are taking up space without offering any merit. What’s worrying is that some of these could function as malware. What’s more, they may harvest your data, including credentials or financial details.  

There are also those apps that may not entirely be malicious, but you’ll find them seeking more information than they should. Some of these ask for a whole lot of information. Researchers observe that a calculator app can access a microphone, camera, speech recognition, contacts, calendar, and more on your device. However, it has no business asking for such privileges as none of these rights are essential to its function.  

You Shop from Ads Directly

You often find new and appealing products on social media apps. It’s because these ads are targeted at you based on your surfing history that tells marketers about what you want to buy. However, this could also be a tactic criminals use to rob you of your cash. 

It’s easy for a cybercriminal to lead you to a fake site using an ad as bait. You might end up getting nothing at all after you have placed an order. It’s better that you buy from the brand’s website itself. It does require you to go through a few extra steps, but it’s worth it for your security. 

Reusing Pin Codes Becomes a Habit

If you’re using the same digits as the PIN code to unlock all your devices and make purchases on your debit card, you’re risking it all for convenience. Avoid using your birth date or other numbers that hold value to you. The best solution is to make it as random as possible. You should consider using a biometric method like Face ID or fingerprints. 

You Use Free Wi-Fi Frequently

Free Wi-Fi is tempting. After all, you get to connect to the internet without wasting cellular data. However, many free hotspots lack security, like allowing your data to travel unencrypted. To evade this threat, you should use appropriate security mechanisms. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one of them. 

It does an excellent job of keeping you safe. Once you connect to VPN, you hide your IP address. Also, no one can track or read the data traveling to the internet from your device. It is all because a VPN encrypts internet traffic. So, essentially, a VPN secures your connection by performing the action most free hotspots skip. 

Conclusion

Every security mistake we’ve mentioned can land you in trouble. Thus, it is best to avoid such actions online. Try to be more skeptical and attentive to the content you see online.