The internet is a vast system of an interconnected network that provides information and communication anytime, anywhere. This 19th-century invention took the world by storm. However, it is still surprising to date how much information can get accessed on the internet without any hassle. With the ease of access, privacy is also a valuable commodity that gets easily accessible on the internet. It is the privacy that sets humans apart from animals. Meanwhile, this privacy is nowhere safe on the internet. Your personal information like emails, income, business details, and the location are all exposed on the internet.
One of the main reasons for that is your information is worth much money for different businesses. They can use your information for marketing campaigns and attract customers towards their products. However, this information is valid for usage to some extent. But if this information gets revealed to others, it can lead to severe problems. By information leakage, most of the ransomware attacks and malicious phishing scams. It is causing great harm to users on the internet. In this case, the protection of online privacy is extremely crucial to keep a safe side from these attacks. With that said, let’s discuss six steps that you should take to protect your online privacy.
LIMIT PERSONAL INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Almost everyone uses social media services like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media allows you to share pictures, videos, and other kinds of information to help your friends find you. Now, this information gets exposed to your friends, but dangerous hackers can also use it against you. Cybercriminals use this information for identity theft and phishing, which can lead to severe problems.
Different universities like the University of Nevada Reno, produce professionals in cybersecurity. According to these cybersecurity professionals, one way to avoid this situation is by avoiding oversharing the information. Always avoid sharing your actual location on social media and limit its usage. For instance, if you share pictures of your pet, then never share its name on the internet. The cybercriminals can dig through your social media to find essential information like pet names. Some financial services ask security questions like maiden names or pet names while changing passwords. In this case, it is always advisable never to share personal information briefly.
KEEP EMAILS AND PHONE NUMBERS PRIVATE
Sharing your emails and phone numbers everywhere on the internet is not a good idea. It is because emails and phone numbers can get used against you for phishing and ransomware attacks. Moreover, your inbox and mails will be overwhelmed with tons of spam emails and robotic calls for winning the lottery. Indeed, you can not just avoid sharing the emails on the internet. But it is advised never to give this information randomly.
You can create a separate email account and SIM registration for shopping and business to secure your emails. This way, you can keep your emails separated from the random emails and phone calls from strangers and block them whenever you want.
TURN ON PRIVATE BROWSING
No matter how vigilant you are on the internet, you will always leave a trail back to your activity. The internet continually tracks your movements and offers content based on this activity. If you are also concerned about this system behavior, then you can opt for private browsing.
Private browsing is one of the safest ways to use the internet without recording your activity online. Most of the websites use cookies and software to identify the interests and search data. However, private browsing deletes any installed cookies and internet cache as soon as you log out of the internet.
USE A VPN
Apart from private browsing, a VPN or Virtual Proxy Network can also protect your online privacy. This network software works by creating a private network with the public internet. This private network creates a secure tunnel to mask your IP, thus hiding your online activities. Primarily VPNs must always be used while using public wifi. The wifi services in the library, restaurants, and train stations are unmasked to the hackers and cybercriminals. In this case, the VPN software can ensure security for incoming and outgoing traffic. Thus all of your information stays private.
USING TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
Two-factor authentication is another buzzword in the technological world. But it is immensely useful to secure your privacy. Since you protect all of your accounts with a most strong password, it is not always enough for their security. Hackers and cybercriminals always seek new approaches to find your password and disclose your confidential information. You can still secure your accounts by adding a two-factor authentication on all of your accounts. With this two-factor authentication, you will receive a secret code on your phone. This secret code is valid for 60 seconds only, giving a shorter frame to the hacker to decrypt your password.
UPDATE APPS & SOFTWARE
Avoiding apps and software updates is never a good idea. The developers of these apps are continually improving and strengthening security to protect user privacy on the internet. On the other side, hackers always look for anomalies and leaks in the most used apps to get hands-on personal information. All you need to do is enable automatic updates for apps, and the computer and system will do the job itself.
FINAL WORDS
No matter how heedful you are, hackers will always find new ways to attack. However, incorporating these steps into daily life can significantly improve privacy protection and save the day. Still watch out for wrong links and websites and install an antivirus to keep a safe side from the potential threats.