Must use tips for every internet user
By Anas Baig, Digital Security Enthusiast, Gaditek
The process of evolution affects every living thing equally; from the predator to the preyed upon. While the internet users are getting smarter, in terms of their online security, the hackers to are upping their game. Similar to the crime rate in the physical world, the rate of cybercrimes too is on the rise.
Given the alarming situation, it is only logical for people to arm themselves with solid security strategies and adopt the basic security fundamentals to remain as safe as possible on the internet. Here are the five tips or guidelines to help you from becoming the hunted:
1. Create & Use Complex Password
There is more to passwords then what meets the eyes since they are your first line of defense. Sadly, 55% of internet users not only have weak passwords, but they also use the same password for all their online accounts, be it social or financial.
They don’t change their password for months on, which translates into an open invitation for hackers to compromise just one account and get access to all the accounts.
My personal belief about passwords is “Don’t change your password regularly; just choose one good, strong password for different accounts”. Make your password at least 12 characters long and include numbers, special characters (variety of characters), mixed small & capital letters.
Last year, Keeper Security, a password management company, released a list of the most common passwords of 2016.
The most popular password that made up nearly 17 percent of the 10 million passwords the company analyzed was “123456.” “Password” was also among the top 10 passwords, coming in as the eighth most common password on the list.
2. Use A VPN
A Virtual Private Network or a VPN is a service that creates a secure encrypted connection, which can be best visualized as a tunnel between your computer and the server operated by a VPN service, encrypting your online communications in the process to help you remain protected against data snoopers.
A VPN also gives you complete online freedom by masking your IP with its dedicated IP address. So, while a VPN keeps you safe online, it also lets you surf without any restraints.
3. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor or Two-Factor authentication is the best practice for securing access to your online accounts. Passwords can be compromised, and once they are, it’s easy for criminals to gain access. Multi-factor authentication requires an extra step to log in to authenticate your identity, whether that means email authentication or a text message sent to your phone. While these protocols often spark protest from employees, this is a great way to ensure an additional layer of security.
4. Keep Your System Up-To-Date
Cybercriminals are relentless and they come up with new ways to infiltrate security systems, so it pays to make sure your browser has the latest security patches installed. In order to minimize the risk of exposure or low performance, security updates must be applied as soon as they are released. When prompted to update your operating system software…… just do it!
5. Keep Your Inbox Safe
Always enable email scanning via your antivirus. Don’t trust attachments, in fact, you should always be careful when clicking on attachments or links in any email. If it’s unexpected or suspicious for any reason, don’t click on it.
Double-check the URL of the website the link takes you to bad actors will often take advantage of spelling mistakes to direct you to harmful domains.
Also, disable automatic previewing and never respond to email requests for personal or company account information. According to Trend micro, 91% of advanced cyber attacks begin with emails. To Conclude
Safeguarding data is essential for all internet users. Remember, the internet is evolving and is in a vulnerable state. You might think your data is not important to hackers, but this is where you would be completely wrong.
The tips mentioned above might not make you bulletproof on the internet, but they will make it that much harder for a hacker to single you out.
About The Author
My Name is Anas Baig, the Digital Marketer & Security Enthusiast of the Gaditek. He loves to read & write about Digital Security & Privacy. If you are interested to get tweets about Marketing & Security! Follow him on twitter @anasbaigdm