Internet Safety Tips to Keep Your Privacy
1. Do not post any of your personal information
Internet safety is something of great importance and should be given a high degree of consideration. You should not post any of your personal information; this information includes your mobile number or email address. Because once you post this information online, you do not have the control of how people are going to use it. Before you post videos or pictures of yourself, first think carefully because once your picture is online, so many people are going to see it and even go ahead and download it. This means that those pictures are no longer just yours. Moreover, you do not know whose hands those photos may fall in and for what purpose that person is going to use them for.
2. Keep your machine clean
The best defense against viruses as well other internet threats is keeping your machine clean. This is normally done by having the latest web browser, security software, and operating system. Computer security is important. Always ensure to automate software update, so that you can be able to know if there is any problem with any of your software. Make sure that all the devices that are usually connected to the internet are protected, these devices include, smart phones, computers, and gaming systems among others. The protection makes sure they do not get viruses. In case you use USB’s on your computer, once you have plugged the USB scan it, because viruses might have already infected it. Your security software will help you scan them.
3. Use antivirus software
Antivirus software gets rid of any viruses that are on your machine and the best thing is that there are some that are for free. Free antivirus software is also effective and a free virus protection method and some work almost the same like the once that are usually paid for. Free virus protection enables you to save money and at the same time keep your machine protected. When viruses get into your computer, it is definitely not a good thing, because a lot of problems might be caused such as, your computer may be slow, pop up advertisements might be displayed on your computer. It might even to a point that the virus reports all the things that you do on your computer and this is very dangerous. However, with the help of an antivirus software you do not have to worry about such problems. Below are some antivirus programs that can be of great help to you. F- Secure, Kasperkey, McAfree and Bitdefender.
4. Create strong passwords
Strong passwords are normally very hard to crack. Always makes sure that you regularly change the password. Many people make the mistake of using a simple password because it is usually easy to remember. What they do not know is that they are making it easy for hackers to crack the password and gain access their financial as well as personal accounts. A complex password is likely to keep you safe online. Another important thing is to keep your password a secret, do not tell it even to your best friend. When creating a password do not use the names of our pet, or family. People might guess them; instead use a mix of numbers and letters. This will be difficult to guess.
5. Connect with a lot of care
Ensure that you do not click on links in email, posts, tweets as well as online advertising; this is among the ways that are often used by the cyber criminals to compromise your computer. Cyber security is important, if anything looks suspicious even though you know its source do not click on it, it is best for you to delete it. Before you bank or shop online, be sure that the site that you are using is security enabled. You can do this by looking for web addresses that have “shttp://” or “https://”, this means that the site has taken some extra measures to make sure that your information is secure. It is good if you keep adjusting your security settings that you have kept in your devices. This is a very good way of limiting who gets access to your machine.
6. Ensure that you are a good online citizen
Before you post anything online, it is best for you to first think carefully about the things that you say. Only post about others what you would like them to post about you. This is the best cyber security method that you could ever apply, because by doing this you are making the internet a safer place and at the same time helping fight cyber crime. What you do online has the capability of affecting people a lot, when you practice good online habits the entire global digital community benefits from it. It is time we all gave a hand and made the internet a better place.
7. Try to be web wise
Keep pace with the new ways that can be of great help to you when it comes to staying safe online. You can check the trusted websites if they have any latest information. Think before you act, because there is some communication that have the ability to make you act immediately. They may ask for your personal information or offer you something that sounds too good. If you can across some information that helps you to be web wise, share it with your family, friends, as well as colleagues, so that you can also encourage them and make them know how to be web wise.
8. Use Google chrome
Google chrome is a safe browser, not forgetting it is lightweight and because of this, it is a super fast browser. It happened that in a competition that security experts were paid so that they could hack web browsers, they were able to hack all of them apart from Google chrome. This tells us that it is a very safe browser. If you want to be safe when browsing you can consider switching to Google chrome.
By using the above internet safety tips, you will be able to stay safe online.
