Don’t Click On That! 5 Online Safety Tips You Can’t Afford to Miss Out On
Are you concerned about the number of people around you that are being affected by cybercrime? You aren’t alone. A recent report found that 23% of Americans have been impacted or know someone who has had their financial information stolen by hackers.
If you’re concerned about online safety, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself. Below are five online safety tips that help you stay safe while browsing online.
1. Look for SSL
Are you concerned about hackers intercepting your website traffic? If you access the internet from public WiFi, this is a concern. If you browse the internet on unsecured websites, anyone snooping on traffic can see your activity.
If you’re dealing with private information, make sure the websites you browse use SSL. SSL is a security certificate that encrypts all website traffic on a domain. Even if someone can monitor your traffic, they can’t see any data sent back and forth between you and other websites.
2. Install AntiVirus Software
Even if you take precautions when staying safe on the internet, there’s always a chance that you’ll make a mistake. One of the most common mistakes people make is downloading unknown files on their computers.
An antivirus program will save you by running scans on every file you download. If it detects a virus, your download will quarantine until you mark it for deletion.
3. Use Two-Factor Authentication
Passwords are one of the weakest parts of any security system. Too many people use simple passwords for their accounts. It’s too difficult to remember so many passwords for all the accounts people own.
Even if you do have a complex password, there are still ways for attackers to obtain it. If you want to stop this from happening, enable two-factor authentication for your accounts. This authentication method will send a secondary authentication code to a personal device.
4. Examine Your Privacy Settings
People share more about themselves now than ever. Social media sites provide you a way to tell the world who you are and what you’re thinking. The question is, how far does that reach extend?
If you don’t want everyone to see your information, look at your social accounts’ privacy settings. Restrict your information to only the people you trust.
5. Avoid Clicking Email Links
Have you ever received one of those emails telling you that your website account needs a password reset? The problem with these emails is that you likely never requested a reset on your password.
These emails are one of the common types of fraud. Attackers set up fake websites that are identical to the ones you have accounts with. If you make the mistake of entering your username and password on one of these sites, hackers will save your credentials and access your account.
Follow These Online Safety Tips to Stay Protected
Cybercrime is at an all-time high and isn’t expected to diminish anytime soon. You need to take the proper safety measure so you don’t fall victim to attacks. Use the online safety tips above to add to your protection.
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