Staying Safe Online

Since the dawn of the internet to the present day, cybercrime has become more sophisticated and prominent. But fear not, so too have the means of protecting yourself against these risks. Here are our top tips for staying safe online.

1. Use antivirus software

This is a great place to start, as antivirus software gives you an extra level of security when you’re active online. Antivirus software will run in the background and minimise the risk of you falling victim to computer viruses and cyberattacks. And the cover you can get is comprehensive. Software will protect you against a wide range of risks, including traditional viruses, malware, ransomware, and spyware.

Not only this, you’ll also get more life out of your computer by reducing its exposure to viruses, as they often slow your device down. You’ll likely save money too, as you won’t need to have your computer repaired as a result of malicious software. There are many antivirus software options on the market – even some that are free. Your best bet is researching what level of cover you need to find the right package for you.

2. Choose strong passwords

Strong passwords are another great way of keeping potential hackers at bay. If you choose a weak password like your birthday or your partner’s name, you’re running the risk of someone guessing it. This doesn’t even require technical expertise on the behalf of cybercriminals. Nonetheless, this is one of the most common ways hackers gain access to your account.

You can stop online thieves in their tracks by selecting a stronger password. This is one that contains letters (both lowercase and uppercase), numbers, and even punctuation. Likewise, you shouldn’t choose something that can clearly be associated with you, such as your favourite sports team. Having different passwords for different websites, accounts, and services also means that if one of your accounts becomes compromised, not all of them will.

3. Be aware of phishing scams

Phishing usually happens in the form of fraudulent emails that appear to be genuine – often from well-known companies like Amazon or Netflix. They will typically try to entice you by claiming that you’re due a payment and then ask for your personal information, such as bank details. Alternatively, they may say there has been suspicious activity on your account and ask for your password. So, how can you detect these often professional-looking scams?

First of all, consider if you actually are a customer of the company that is claiming to contact you. Likewise, check your bank account to see whether payments have gone through. There are also other common red flags, such as the address the email came from – this won’t be from an official company account. Spelling and grammar mistakes are quite common, even if many phishing emails look legitimate on the surface. Of course, if you’ve already taken care of our first tip (using antivirus software), you’ll have more protection against such schemes, and many fraudulent emails will be filtered out.

4. Boost your network security with a VPN

You can also make yourself more secure by using a VPN. VPN stands for virtual private network. It will encrypt any traffic sent from your network until it arrives at its intended destination. This protects you from cyberattacks, as criminals, if they manage to hack you, will only have access to encrypted data. This keeps your passwords, account details, and personal information safe. It’s also a good idea to use a VPN when using public networks as well as at home for the same reasons.

5. React in a timely manner if you ever fall victim to cybercrime

Anyone can be conned by hackers, even with the various security options available today. If this ever happens to you, your best option is to report the incident to the authorities immediately. This hopefully shuts down the issue before it can affect many other people and also brings the perpetrators to justice. You should also report the fraud to the companies being impersonated, as they may be able to take effective measures, such as contacting their customers with a warning. Additionally, the sooner you act, the more likely you are to get back what was stolen from you.

Minimise online risks for peace of mind

We hope you enjoyed these quick tips. With lockdowns continuing around the world, we’re very reliant on our internet connection – generating more opportunities for hackers. By taking these security measures on board, you will reduce the level of risk and be able to enjoy the internet in peace. Stay safe!