Staying secure online has become one of the biggest challenges these days. From brands to cybercriminals, almost everyone is trying different tactics get hold of various types of data on people. This information can be used for anything from customer profiling and advertising to forging false identities and bringing financial harm at times. These activities have become so rampant that they are trillions worth of damages to individuals and businesses worldwide.
Times have become precarious and we need to be extremely careful about our online activities. Here are a few tips yourself secure online in light of all the threats lurking around:
- Be aware and vigilant
The first step is always education and awareness. One of the biggest issues that organizations are facing these days that since their employees are not completely aware of the extent of cybercrime, they fall prey to their schemes causing extensive damages to the company. There is a similar lack of awareness among the masses too. As long as people are not knowledgeable about the dangers that they face, they will never be able to guard against them effectively.
- Use a secure browser like Tor
The internet browser is one of the first tools that play a role in ensuring cybersecurity. Tor is a browser that was initially developed for the US navy and other military organizations for internal communications. Today, however, it is also available to the general public. Tor masks the IP address of its users by default which means that absolutely no one can see the original IP address of that user. This provides great benefits to users looking to browse the internet safely and freely. If you want to know yours simply type what is my IP address in Google and the website will let you know. This also helps in streaming services like popcorn time (torrent) and unblocking websites anonymously.
- Install and regular update your antivirus software
Malware planted by hackers and other entities can reside within a computer or device without the user ever realizing. They can be silently monitoring the devices or siphoning off data from within. This is why an antivirus is a necessity these days. The top-of-the-line services that provide reliable antivirus programs offer some exciting features that regularly screen the computer for any threats. Any incoming threats can easily be detected and the user is warned to check their actions.
- Always have a VPN installed on your PC and Laptops
A Windows VPN is a more advanced version of the Tor browser. The browser alone has many limitations but a VPN is a comprehensive service for all intents and purposes. A VPN works by masking user IP addresses to make all their data traffic anonymous. An IP address generally is public which means anyone can view it.
- Use strong passwords
Almost everything on the internet is password protected. While this is great, it is also inconvenient for some users so they use identical or easy passwords for all their accounts. This is a huge mistake which makes it easy for hackers to gain access to the accounts. Users should always have strong passwords on all accounts. Use a reliable password manager if you have difficulty remembering the security keys. iOS and Android provide their own secure password vaults.
Conclusion
Staying secure online is imperative for a number of reasons. From spam emails with irrelevant marketing messages to financial damages there is a lot going wrong and several threats in cyberspace. Being careful and taking precautions is the best solution to the whole problem.
