When you are surfing the internet, it is important that you should be very careful since there are a lot of bad people, wrong information, cybercrime, and doubtful websites on the web. Below are some suggestions that you need to follow to protect your computer and your personal information while connecting to the internet. Regardless of the operating system or computer you use, the following precautions can help in reducing the risk of threats.
Check If Data Is Encrypted
When sending personal information on the internet, be sure to send them securely. You can verify this by searching for the small lock icon before the url. Be sure that the lock icon is locked and not in an unlocked position. Also, be sure that the url starts with https. If the lock is shown in the locked position, then you can guarantee that data is encrypted. Data encryption is important since this can prevent other people from understanding the data in case it can get intercepted. If the lock icon is in unlocked position or you can’t find the lock icon, then data will be in plain text, hence, it can be read by anyone who intercepts it. If you are accessing a website that is not secured, then you should use a password that you haven’t use in shopping websites, online banking websites, or any other protected sites.
Protect Your Computer From Viruses
When surfing the internet, it is important that you protect yourself against viruses, spyware, and malware. That is why it is recommended that you should install the most reliable antiviruses for Windows 10 & 11 on all your Windows devices. These antivirus programs can help in detecting, deleting, or quarantining any malicious data to prevent them from causing any damage to your device. The most advanced antivirus programs can automatically update by themselves. This means that you are always protected against the latest viruses and other types of spyware and malware.
Choose a Safe Password
You should use strong passwords on those websites that keep your confidential data, including online banks. Also, it is recommended that you should use a different password for every website. Sometimes it is impossible for us to remember all our passwords, that is why it would be useful to use a password manager.
Make Sure That Your Software and Operating System Are Updated
Nowadays, developers of operating systems are releasing updates that are related to security issues. That is why it is important to ensure that your operating system is always updated. You should not use older versions of Windows. Unfortunately, older operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows XP, will not be able to receive updates anymore.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
When available, it is important that you should enable two-factor authentication. This can provide you with extra protection since an additional step will be required to verify your login. Once you have enabled the two-factor authentication, it will verify your password, then if it does not recognize youre device, it will send a verification code to your phone through a text message. If somebody knows your password, they still cannot access your account since they don’t have your phone.
Be sure to enable two-factor authentication on your e-mail account. Most often, you can simply use the forgot password feature in resetting your password. So, when you reset your password, a link or a new password will be sent to your email address. If other people can access your email account, then they can easily obtain your new password.
Avoid Sending Confidential Information on Email
You should never use email in sending any confidential data, including credit card information, passwords, etc. This is because email is not encrypted. Hence, if the information is intercepted by someone, then they could read it.
Be Wary of Email Links and Attachments
Ransomware, malware, and viruses can easily be spread through links and attachments sent via email. Sometimes they will send you links to avail free data code for all networks. That is why you must be very careful when clicking links or opening attachments received from someone, even if its from your family or friends.
Be Mindful of Phishing Scams
Today, you can find different types of phishing scams and tactics everywhere. That is why it is important that you should be aware of this since it will trick you to divulge your confidential information. Most often, theft and fraudulent activities occur in Amazon, eBay, Paypal, online banking sites, and other well-known websites.
Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by NetworkPalava Admin
