The internet has
become an indispensable part of many people’s lives. Not only are they able to
use the internet to look up information in a matter of seconds, but they can
also use various websites to communicate with others around the world.
Unfortunately, the internet is not always a safe place. Not only can you end up
revealing sensitive information to the wrong people, but it can be used to harm
you and your family if you are not careful. There is also the fact that every
single interaction a person can have online is vulnerable to anyone trying to
spy on them. If you take the necessary
steps to ensure you are safe from all manners of cyber-crimes, then you don’t
have to fret over your online safety.
1- Don’t Click on Pop-Ups
Ads on the internet
can be quite tempting to click on. They usually try to lure us into clicking on
them to go to the website that is being promoted. If the website that you are
browsing is not safe, then sometimes these ads will result in viruses, malware,
and spyware infecting your laptop. To avoid this whole ordeal of trying to
judge whether an ad is safe to click on or not, you can use an ad blocker to
get rid of any ads that show up while you are browsing online. If you do not
want to download an ad blocker, then be careful not to click on any ads popping
up or better yet, never go on questionable websites that allow pop-ups to
appear in the first place since these websites do not have any care for your
cyber-safety.
2- Use VPN
Most of your online
actions are not hidden to anyone with the right tools. People use information
such as your location and IP address against you if you do not protect them. A
VPN allows you to stay hidden from anyone trying to get to your personal and
security information through the internet. The information found on vpngorilla.com/en/best-vpn-for-canada/,
states that the number one concern for most
online users is privacy and security, which is sometimes compromised by the
government and other third parties using your information for their agendas.
You can find different VPNs but before committing to one VPN, try looking at
reviews and recommendations to ensure that you get the best out there.
3- Check Security of Websites
Some websites use
encryption security methods to prevent unauthorized people from reaching any of
your information. If a website you are using is not secure, then it is better
not to use it. You can check the security of the website you want to visit by
looking for the “s” after “Http”. If there is no “s” then this website is not
secure and any action you perform on this website is liable to hacking.
4- Never Send or Store Sensitive Information
Online
Sensitive information
includes bank account details, social security numbers, passwords, and other
information you wouldn’t want anyone to get their hands on. A bank will never
ask for your banking information online,
especially through email or instant messages. You should also try to avoid
storing such information online. Even cloud servers can get hacked into, so
they are not as secure as you would like to believe. Giving out such
information can lead to someone impersonating your identity or using your
banking information to get money from your accounts.
5- Constantly Change Passwords
Even if you are
careful not to send or your passwords online, they are still liable to be
known. To prevent someone from hacking into your accounts, you need to
constantly change your passwords. A tip is to change them every couple of
months and to include random letters and symbols to make it harder to figure
out. Try avoiding having passwords with obvious information including date of
birth or name.
6- Add Security Questions and Checks
If possible, add
security questions and other types of checks in place to ensure that even if
someone tries to hack into your email, you can stop them. security checks are
quite personal so unless the person trying to hack you is someone who knows all
your information since the day you were born, it's going to be hard for them to
get through to your account.
7- Only Download Secure Content
Don’t download any
online content except if you are 100% sure that it is safe. Many hackers use
applications, documents, and other files that are legitimate and insert
malware, spyware or viruses into the program itself so that they can easily get
to your computer without you noticing. A good idea is to have an antivirus
program to scan any files you download.
Using these seven
guidelines, you can protect yourself and your family from dangers caused by the
internet. The internet is a wonderful, diverse invention that has helped
millions, but with its boom, cyber-crime has become more
apparent. Therefore, you need to take the necessary steps and follow different
tips to protect your information and identity.
