Tips for Online Safety
People commonly express their concern over the number of cybersecurity breaches in the world today. Certainly, cybercrime and hacking have seen a massive surge in the past few years. However, the average person is completely ignoring some of the most basic actions they can take to keep themselves safe. Take a look at these common-sense measures that you may be overlooking.
Stop Ignoring Virus Protection
Only a decade ago, if you asked the average person, “Do you know what is ransomware?”, the answer would most likely have been, “No”. Today, everyone knows. In recent years there have been millions of attempted ransomware attacks with the number jumping as much as 135% in the last year alone. The problem is, most people simply don’t believe that they will ever be a victim.
The number of people who blithely go online every day with absolutely no protection on their devices is stunning. Usually, the reason has to do with the expense. Virus and malware protection can be pricey, but the value of what you stand to lose without it is incomprehensible. Even if you can’t afford a top-tier program, there are low-cost or even free options to be had; they may not be the best, but they are much better than nothing. This kind of protection should never be considered optional.
Let’s Talk About Passwords
This is internet security at its most basic, and yet people ignore it every day. Everyone knows that you need to have individual, complex passwords for every site and every account, but the vast majority of people don’t want the hassle.
A staggering 65% of internet users set the same password for multiple accounts, and a good chunk of people, somewhere around 15%, use the same password for everything, The same password! Certainly, that makes remembering your password easy, but it is extremely dangerous. It means that a cybercriminal only has to figure out one password, and they have access to your life. Your bank account, your medical portals, your credit card accounts, even those pictures from that vacation in Maui that you have tucked safely away in a private folder, everything is fair game by figuring out one password. You need to have a unique password for everything.
It’s tempting to make passwords simple so they are easy to remember. But a password that is easy to remember is also easy to figure out. Passwords really do need to be not only unique, but lengthy, at least 15 characters, and as random as possible. Those bizarre passwords that many sites suggest that are a random collection of letters and symbols are absolutely the way to go.
As far as remembering all those passwords, you can always go old school and write them down in a notebook. You may have been advised not to do this as the paper could be stolen, but the reality is that hackers are breaking into your computer, not your house. Just keep your notebook somewhere safe.
You Don’t Need To Tell Everyone Everything
Everyone is active on social media today. People use it to connect, to have conversations, to advertise and to argue. As much as you may love the social interaction online, you need to be careful how much you share.
It goes without saying that you must avoid sharing details such as your address, social security number or bank account online, but Cybercriminals will use any personal information they can find about you. If you share your children’s birth dates, any hacker worth the name is going to immediately check if these are part of a password. Even if you are clever enough to avoid this pitfall, what about those 2-step verification security questions? Is one of them “What year was your oldest child born?” It might be best to keep your public sharing general and save the detailed stuff for trusted friends and family.
Although online security can be complex, there are some common-sense actions you can take that will go long way to keeping you and your sensitive information safe. Correct your password deficiencies, use some form of virus protection and avoid the urge to overshare with strangers.
