Nowadays, you spend more of your life online. Your online presence has grown bigger than ever before, with emails and banking to social media and shopping. Although this makes living easier, it is also dangerous. Weak security can be exploited by hackers, suspicious websites, and even trusted websites. The good news is that you can shield yourself in a couple of simple measures.
This article outlines seven simple steps to enhance your digital security.
Step 1: Use Strong and Creative Passwords
One of the failures web and online platform users make is using the same password across different accounts. That means if one of your passwords is identified, the hacker can get all your other accounts. That could get your banking platform, email and social media compromised.
You are supposed to have one strong and unique password on each account. The password must be at least 8 characters long and have a combination of numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters. Do not use obvious words or number sequences, such as your name, birthday, or just type the word ‘password’.
In case you think it is hard to remember all your passwords, you may use a password manager. It is a password-saving tool that even generates new, strong passwords.
Step 2: Turn On Two-Factor Authentication
There is a second level of security, which is two-factor authentication. Although a person might steal your password, he/she cannot log in for the second-time code. This code is typically pushed to your phone or email or an authentication application.
The 2FA is simply a second lock on the front door to keep you safer, where even if a key is given to a person, they cannot access the house without a second code. This feature is provided in the security settings of most platforms. It can save you significant dangers and it requires only a few minutes to install.
Step 3: Keep Your Software Updated
The old software is prone to vulnerabilities that hackers seek. Your phones, computers, or applications may also have security holes if they lack updates. It is advisable to update your operating system, web browsers, and applications as soon as they become available. Within reach, provide an automatic update to prevent forgetting. One of the most effective methods of preventing hackers into your gadgets is updating your software.
Step 4: Test your Browser Privacy Leak
It is your web browser, which is your major accessing tool to the internet, and it may leak information without you noticing. Websites are also capable of tracking your location, browsing or they can even gather personal information.
One of the methods of tracking users is using a browser fingerprinting tool. It creates a user identifier based on the browser settings of the user. This allows websites to identify their users and track user actions. The tool is employed in finding weaknesses and preventing online attacks. To find privacy leaks in your browser, consider subscribing to professional services that scan your privacy settings. With these tools, you can know as soon as you can that your browser is leaking important and private information.
Step 5: Be Careful When Using Public Wi-Fi
It may seem convenient for you, but it is also risky to use free public Wi-Fi in cafes, airports or even hotels on your private gadgets. Hackers find it very easy to monitor the information you receive and send. Using your bank or email account over an open Wi-Fi connection will most likely have given your information away.
To be on the safer side, it is advisable not to use free Wi-Fi when carrying out sensitive operations like banking and shopping. Use it through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in case there is a need. VPN secures your information and this makes hackers less likely to read your online activity.
Step 6: Be careful of Phishing Scams
Phishing refers to a fraudsters who pose as a reputable company or a person to mishandle your information. You might get an email, text or message asking you to open a link or give your login credentials. Such messages can be highly realistic and they are meant to deceive you.
You must never open suspicious links or attachments that you do not know. You should be sure to look into the email address of the sender. If something seems wrong, use the official site of the business to contact them directly, rather than responding to the message.
Step 7: Back Up Your Data
Despite the fact that security is very strong, things may fail. You will lose valuable files to hackers, system crashes or even physical damage to your device. This is the reason why it is so advisable to back up your data.
You should back up to an external hard disk or a cloud storage system on a daily basis. It is advisable to become accustomed to the practice of copying your valuable documents, photographs and work files.
With a backup, you will never lose your valuable data permanently, even in the event of theft or hacking of your device.
