Most people are online these days. But, unfortunately, from scrolling through Twitter to doing our jobs online, there are millions of things you can do on the internet: which means there are millions of ways your data can be stolen.
There’s no need to let this scare you into an offline life, though! The internet is a fantastic and interesting thing, so it’s going to have its gives and takes over time. These are some tips to ensure that you’re safe while on the internet.
Use Strong Passwords
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The stronger your passwords are, the better. This means a string of capital and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols combined into strange combinations. We’ve moved past the need for including pet names and birthdays in our passwords, yet many people are still making glaring a mistake.
Do not keep the same password on every site you’re on. This is a huge problem that can lead to someone stealing your password for Instagram: and suddenly having access to every account you use on the internet. Change them up, and keep them as different as possible.
Avoid Phishing Scams
Phishing is scary because it allows people to trick you into knowing details about your life that you shouldn’t share. This includes banking information, your social security number, and dozens of other things that could result in you getting your identity stolen or your bank account drained. So don’t fall for this scam, and avoid any site or email that displays red flags.
These could often be emails of someone saying that they’re a relative and they need money or a website claiming you’ve won a free iPad as long as you tell them your social security number to let them know you’re real. They’ll try to tempt you and gather any information they can on you.
Besides not responding to these emails and reporting them as scams, you should also avoid clicking any links you don’t recognize. Links are the best way for them to steal your information: and it’s why you need to use a VPN on unfamiliar sites.
Use VPNs when Necessary
VPNs are awesome because they allow you to shroud yourself in a blanket of secrecy that ensures you don’t have to worry about others knowing your personal information simply because you got onto a website.
If you’ve ever been curious and asked yourself, ‘what is my IP?’ you may have quickly found the string of numbers: but do you realize what these mean? Not only do they tell people where you are, but they also tell them your ISP.
These can be used to locate people and are in every device that connects to the internet. A good VPN will hide it.
Your Internet Hygiene Matters
How you protect your identity and what you do to keep your information safe matters.
Not only will better internet safety allow you to feel secure that nobody will likely gather your information, but it also gives you the safety of knowing that if they can access some of it, they won’t be able to access all of it. So be aware of how you act and what you do online, and make healthy decisions.
