How to protect your privacy online: Digital privacy, which is also known as internet/online privacy is very critical in protecting your personal information. It refers to how much your personal information and browsing history/data is kept private when you are surfing the web.
Today, digital privacy is increasingly under attack, with personal information and browsing history being the most vulnerable. Billions of people share and store increasing amount of personal data on the internet. This leaves then vulnerable to cyber-attacks, identity theft and other threats. To address privacy concerns, there are several practices you can implement.
Here is how to protect your privacy online.
Use Encrypted sites only
The benefits of using an encrypted site include financial fraud protection, data breach protection and information safety. Site owners use an SSL certificate to achieve an encrypted connection between your server and the browser.
You can spot an encrypted site by looking at the link in the URL. Encrypted sites start with HTTPS as opposed to HTTP. The s in https stands for secure and is an indication that your data is encrypted. Hackers have a harder time accessing information from encrypted websites. This is especially important when you are browsing different sites on the internet. When streaming movies and tv shows online, make sure you are doing it legitimate sites like Pirate Bay by checking the URL to make sure it is encrypted. Don’t click on suspicious sites and links with no encryption because it is an easy way to get a virus of malware into your computer.
Use strong passwords
Even though you are using a secure website to browse the internet or stream some videos, there is always a small chance that hackers may be trying to access your personal information. Using a strong password is one of the best ways to keep your private information away from hackers. Guessing passwords is one of the most common techniques used by cybercriminals to hack into computers. A simple password enables them to easily gain access and control of your device.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating your password
Do not use your personal information – never include sensitive personal information like your phone number, name, address or birthdays. Think beyond any information a hacker could easily guess or figure out.
Do not repeat passwords –make your passwords unique to each site. If the hacker manages to get a password to one of your accounts, they may try to use it to unlock other accounts.
Use two factor authentication when setting up your passwords –Using two factor authentication when setting up your password combats the challenge of having weak/or repeated password.
Use anti-virus software
Antivirus software is designed to detect spyware, virus, Trojans, spam attacks, phishing attacks and malware and protect your computer. Viruses can lead to poor computer performance; computer crushes file damage and worse of all data breach or data loss.
Anti-virus software works by scanning data or files that are coming in and out of your computer network. They are programmed to find virus data base, isolate it, scan it and remove it before it has a chance to attack the system. So, the virus is countered way before it gets into your system.
Hackers use malware and virus programs to access data in your computer by installing it without your knowledge. Anti-virus and anti-malware programs regularly scan for presence of hacking programs and blocks them before your data is affected.
Use encrypted apps for messaging
Encrypted messaging, which is also known as secure messaging provides users with an end-to-end encryption when text messaging. This is very important, especially when you are sharing information through text.
Secure messaging apps prevent anyone from monitoring the conversations. The encrypted information is written in random codes and can only be decrypted and read with someone who has the access key. You can therefore, protect your personal and business information from prying eye of hackers and cybercriminals.
Don’t share personal information on social media
Another way to protects your privacy online is to avoid oversharing. Do not share too much information on social media as it could leave you vulnerable to hackers. Sharing too much on your Instagram, Facebook or twitter makes it easier for cybercriminals to get information that allows them to access more private data like financial information or steal your identity.
Beware of phishing
Phishing is a technique used by hackers and other cyber criminals to obtain people’s login credentials and other important information. They do it by using malicious links sent to you though email or text. To avoid this, be careful which sites you browse while online, avoid giving out personal information online and don’t click on suspicious emails.
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