Top Tips for Staying Safe Online
Meta: All our personal details can be found on our computers and internet browsers nowadays. As such, it is incredibly important to learn how to stay safe online.
Everything happens on the internet nowadays. From online banking to remote working, all our sensitive information is stored on our computers and browsers. While our lives are certainly easier, they aren’t necessarily safer. This is especially true considering how cybercrime rates have risen over the past couple of years. It is more important than ever before to ensure you are staying safe online, particularly when spending your money or handling sensitive information. To help our readers improve their internet security, we thought we should share some great tips for doing so in our article today. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Install Antivirus Software
First and foremost, you should download antivirus software onto your computer. Loads of companies offer a free version of their product to customers, so have a browse online, look at some customer reviews, and find the best one for you. Antivirus software can stop any malicious bugs from infiltrating your computer and hijacking your details or controls. It is a brilliant first line of defence. Just don’t download more than one onto your computer as antivirus software does take up a lot of storage space and can slow things down massively.
Visit Secure Websites
We have all accidentally stumbled upon a dodgy page on the internet and then found our computer riddled with viruses the next day. Most of the time, all you need to do is close the webpage and your device will be safe. However, some people have made the mistake of completing monetary transactions on an insecure website. This puts your money at risk of being stolen by cybercriminals. This is a particularly big problem in the online gambling industry. So, make sure to use a trusted casino like William Hill before depositing any cash. You can also double-check how secure a website is by looking for the green padlock symbol in the address bar.
Apply an AdBlocker
Having an AdBlock for your internet browser is another great way to improve your online security. A lot of computer viruses are transferred through pop-up ads, which tend to inundate your screen more quickly than you can close them. But with an AdBlock, pop-ups become a thing of the past. Most websites do get their money through marketing, so make sure to alter the settings to allow regular adverts to appear. Otherwise, you might be depriving your favourite YouTuber or Blogger of a decent wage.
Avoid Suspicious Emails
Unfortunately, cybercriminals have become a lot more conniving in recent years. They have altered their tactics to effectively fool modern consumers. For example, you might receive a phishing email from your ‘manager’ asking for all your phone details so that you can help them complete a task. Alternatively, you might receive a message from your ‘bank’ that requests you follow a link. It is getting harder and harder to distinguish between scammers and legitimate businesses nowadays. If you ever receive a suspicious email, don’t open it. Check that it is from a secure sender before doing anything else.
Use Different Passwords
Though it might be tempting to recycle the same password for all your accounts, this is a terrible idea. If a data leak were to occur, cybercriminals would have access to everything from your bank account to your social media pages. So, we recommend creating different passwords for everything. Make sure these passwords have capital letters, numbers, and other symbols in them for added security. You should avoid using passwords that are easily guessed, such as your birthday or ‘1234’.
These are our top tips for staying safe online. Follow our advice and you will be protected from the vast majority of cyberattacks.
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