The digital era we are living in is getting vulnerable every day. Since we have entered in 2020, we are expecting to experience some major upcoming threats. All of us using the internet like never before; in fact, most of our time is dedicated to using the internet.
Sharing details on social media like Facebook, Instagram and other portals might hurt your privacy online, and this can lead to severe cyber-crimes.
When you shop online or share your personal details, then there are equal chances that a scammer or hacker might steal your data.
Most of these hackers or scammers look for banking details and personal details through which they can eat away all your money. Therefore, keeping an eye on your cyber-security is essential.
One of the best ways to protect your online privacy is a VPN. A VPN is an essential tool that you can use to hide your identity online.
You can use it from anywhere in the world. For example, if you’re living in Canada you can contact virtual private network canada, similarly, if you’re in the USA then get yourself a US VPN.
It is important to use a VPN because when you browse the internet, there are various advertisement pop-ups that contain malware. This malware can infect your device or may corrupt your windows.
There are more significant majors that you can take to stay safe online. Below I am mentioning a list of actions that are essential to protect your online privacy:
1. Use Complex Passwords
It’s been noted that most of the online users use easy passwords. Moreover, users use a single password for various accounts. This can be risky because in case if your password gets cracked, the scammer may access all your accounts.
Therefore, it is highly recommended to use complex passwords and also don’t rely on a single password. Always use different passwords for different accounts to ensure maximum online protection.
2. Educate your child about Social Media Platforms
Social media craze is at its height these days, and we love to share our moments with loved ones. But, one thing that you should be careful about is privacy. Always make your child understand not to give too much personal information on social accounts.
Avoid putting up information that includes your personal number, email address and home address. It’s better to be at the safer side because you never know who is stalking you or extracting out your information for offensive acts.
3. Review Privacy Settings
Installing mobile applications is a common practice for us today which is not bad at all. Things get worse, when you ignore to read the privacy settings offered by the app. Every app has its own privacy settings and we often overlooked it.
It’s significant to look at the privacy settings and decline things like unnecessary access to the camera. Moreover, try to turn off your location and never agreed upon on data sharing options.
While using social networking sites, always check and update your privacy settings to ensure that everything is exposed to your close friends only.
4. Delete Deceased User Accounts
God forbid, in case, if someone dies in your family or friends then always try to delete their accounts from social sites like Facebook. Such accounts are more prone to hacking because no one is there to report a complaint against hacking.
Cybercriminals may extract data from such accounts or sometimes, they even post unappropriated content from the deceased user account which is not acceptable in any case.
If you have no clue how to delete deceased user account, then you may check the settings of the site or immediately contact the help centre to report.
5. Never go for a Free Service
It’s a regular practice to avail a free service on the internet. Such free services can be anything from the free proxy, free VPN, free malware protection software and more. You have to be careful before signing up with any of the free services.
These free services are extremely dangerous and can harvest various vulnerabilities for your data and device.
Free sources often gather user data and sell it to third parties and marketers for making huge profits. Therefore, I will never recommend using a free service in exchange for your data. Always go for the paid services to ensure a safe and secure online environment.
6. Protect your data through backup
There’s no need to mention how important data can be to anyone. Hackers often hack essential data and in return, they ask for a heavy ransom. It is advised that always maintain your data records and use a trusted cloud-based service to maintain a full data backup to avoid any dangerous situation.
7. Turn off Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a cool technology that immediately helps you with sending and receiving files, but it has some downsides too. When you turn on your Bluetooth, you automatically get visible to various malware apps and phones around you that may risk your device. Therefore, it’s recommended to turn off your Bluetooth after using it.
8. Update existing Software
If you’re currently using outdated software, then don’t forget to update it, as soon as you receive its update notification. It might be irritating to get the update notification of an app or program
The Internet has now become a space where you can find unlimited attacks in the form of phishing, malware, data theft, hacking and things like that. It’s better to keep yourself at a safer side to protect your precious data and devices.
The best way to fight against unprotected internet is to get yourself a trusted VPN that can encrypt all your data and browsing activities.
Also, don’t forget to install high-quality anti-virus programs. We hope that our guide has proven to be useful for you and following these tricks, you can protect your internet experience in 2020.
