Protecting yourself online is obviously important. If that hasn’t become clear by the number of cyber-attacks dancing around the online world, you can probably expect to be hacked/infected.
On the other hand, if you want to secure your virtual presence as much as possible, there are some vital tips you can follow. For starters . . .
Learn the art of passwords
It’s been said before: create passwords that are strong. Of course, this is referring to the general “don’t use personal information for passwords” line. However, there’s more to it than that. Not only should you be creating a strong password, but you should be changing that password intermittently.
Even more important – never store your passwords on your computer. Don’t stop at password protecting your accounts either. When necessary, encrypt your emails, documents, files, and anything else that could be used against you during a cyber-attack.
Don’t connect to third party networks
This is harder said than done. If you’re sitting at McDonalds or in the hospital waiting room, your first instinct is probably to take out your phone. Unfortunately, 90% of phone activity involves data usage. While some phones have unlimited data plans, that’s not always the case.
If you don’t have unlimited data, it is strongly recommended that you suffer the loss and keep your WiFi off. When you connect to an unknown network – even if it’s a guest network to a public place – you’re still risking your online identity. This is the perfect setting for man-in-the-middle attacks.
Back up your data
Seriously. This is one of the biggest things. Sometimes the only reason a business pays a ransom when infected is because they no longer have access to their files. If customers aren’t at risk, then you literally just need your files back. By backing them up, you’re already golden and the hackers are SOL.
Remember: commonsense is free, even on the internet.