Introduction
Each day cyber threats appear to increase. Hackers and scam artists constantly develop new ways to steal personal information, financial information, or online accounts. Fortunately, cybercriminals can be thwarted if we follow some basic practices for securing our data.
This article will give you the best practices for keeping your information secure while using the Internet.
- Use Strong, Unique Passwords
One of the easiest ways to secure your account(s) is to create strong passwords. Unfortunately, too many people use weak passwords like “123456” or “password”, making it possible to break into accounts in mere seconds.
A strong password consists of the following:
- At least 12 characters
- Combination of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters
- No personal information (name or date of birth)
- Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. If one password is stolen, your other accounts may remain secure.
2. Activate Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication provides another layer of security for your account online. If a hacker steals your password, he/she wouldn’t be able to get into your account without a second means (something you have).
Two-factor authentication typically uses one of the following:
- SMS codes
- Authentication applications
- Security tokens
You must activate two-factor authentication for every e-mail account, social media, banking, and cloud storage account for as many services as possible.
3. Regularly Update Your Software and Devices
Most updates contain bug fixes and security patches to problems discovered by developers over time.
Updating can include but is not limited to the following:
- Operating systems
- Web browsers
- Apps
- Antivirus programs
- Computer applications
Failing to update makes your device vulnerable to being attacked by a hacker.
4. Be Aware of Suspicious Emails and/Or Links
Phishing is the most common form of cybercrime. A hacker uses emails or messages that are fake to trick people into providing their sensitive information.
Common signs that an email or message is attempting to “phish” for you are:
- Personal information is requested that you did not ask
- Poor grammar is found throughout the email or message
- Urgent or threatening language
- Strange email source
5: Make Use of Safe Wifi Connections
When you connect to a public WiFi connection, it can be easy to use but it is usually much less secure than a private connection.
To protect yourself, only do the following:
- Avoid visiting your significant account on a public connection
- Implement a VPN
- Disable automatic wireless connection to other networks
- Connect to only those wireless networks that you know, as trusted connections.
A secure internet connection is crucial to prevent others from accessing your sensitive personal information while using the internet.
6. Install a Reliable Antivirus Provider
Antivirus software can provide protection against malware, ransomware, spyware and many other forms of malware and can help ensure your safety.
Some of the benefits of installing an antivirus program are:
- Detection of threats in “real time”
- The ability to remove malware
- Ability to browse the internet safely
- Protection from downloading items from untrusted websites
For antivirus protection, use an antivirus provider that you trust and keep your antivirus software current.
7. Create Backups of Your Most Important Data
The loss of your data can be caused by viruses or other applications like hardware failure and accidently deleting your data.
To reduce the chance that you will lose your data, make regular backups of your:
- Documemts
- Pictures
- Video
- Business documents
- Documents you cannot afford to lose.
You should store your backups in a secure location like a cloud storage provider or an external drive. Therefore if you lose your data, you will be able to restore it from your backup.
8. Limit the amount of personal information you post online.
If you share too much personal information on social media, there is a higher chance that someone might try to take advantage of it.
There are certain things that should never be posted publicly:
- Your whole address
- Your phone number
- Your financial information
- Your travel plans
- Sensitive personal information
The less personal information you have posted online, the less likely someone will be able to successfully exploit that information.
9. Check your accounts regularly
By checking out your accounts on a regular basis, you can spot suspicious activity before it becomes a huge problem.
What to watch for:
- Unknown login attempts
- Unapproved purchases
- Alerts about changes to your password
- Products/devices connected to your account that you are unaware of
If you notice anything unusual, change your password right away, and consider adding additional security measures like 2FA (two-factor authentication) or other similar approaches.
10. Become familiar with cybersecurity
You should become a little bit more familiar with the threat landscape associated with cyber security.
The world of cyber threats is always changing. By staying informed about new scams and potential risks, you help reduce your odds of falling victim to these threats.
Some good topics to research to learn more about cyber security threats are:
- Phishing
- Malware
- Ransomware
- Identity theft
- Social engineering
The more you learn about these topics, the better equipped you will be to protect yourself.
Conclusion
Securing your online information does not take a lot of computer knowledge. When you use long passwords, install two-factor authentication, keep your computer updated with the current software, be wary of phishing emails and messages, and back up your important files, you will greatly increase your chances of staying safe on the Internet.
Cyber security is a journey, not a destination. The more you create good online habits today, the better chance you will have of being able to keep your personal information, financial information, and digital identity safe for many years to come.