The Internet is one of the best things people have ever made. In a short time, it changed how we live. You use it for shopping, learning, talking, making friends, having fun, and many other things. It also makes your computers, phones, cars, and machines work better. But if you don’t take safety measures before using it, there will fatal mess in your life. So, In this article, we will discuss how to use the internet safely what you must do, and what must avoid in detail.
Let’s start with a better understanding!
Must Avoid Things While Using the Internet
If you want to stay safe while using the internet, you must avoid the following activities. Here is the checklist of activities.
1. Prevent the Sharing of Personal Information
One of the most overlooked internet safety tips is sharing personal information. People do not hesitate to share personal information on message boards on social media platforms with the public.
As you know this information is so precious that online hackers and scammers get pieces of information to design a more compelling phishing attack. They may also use information from your digital footprint to breach your login security. For example, if you often play money games on your computer, you must choose safe online casinos that don’t demand revealing personal information. Plus, vulnerable people such as children might be susceptible to cyberbullying, sexual predators, doxxers, and swatters.
2. Don’t Download From Untrustworthy Sources
Think again and again before downloading from unknown and untrustworthy sources such as unlicensed software, pirated programs, and links. Your system may carry malware like viruses, trojan horses, or spyware (keylogger). So, you must download from trustworthy, licensed, and credible sites.
3. Avoid Suspicious Attachments
Every person who uses the internet is aware of the danger of opening suspicious attachments. These attachments automatically take you to malicious websites or carry malware such as viruses. You must remember, don’t be curious about something in the box because bad attachment can breach your security and impact your family’s safety as well as damage your organization
4. Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi
Using the public wifi internet at shopping malls, parks, railway stations, and airports is no doubt convenient. But it comes with cyber risk because these networks are not secure like the networks at the office or home. Cyber threat actors might set up fake public wifi networks to steal your data or initiate a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack.
Must Do Things While Using the Internet
1. Get a Secure Internet Connection
You need to make sure your internet connection is safe to stay safe online. This helps keep your network safe from people who shouldn’t be using it and hackers.
Follow these steps to make your internet connection safer:
- Use Firewall
- Use a VPN
- Activate IST (Internet Security Tools)
- Rename router name and Wifi network
- Change the passwords frequently
2. Always Choose Strong Password
Why make a strong password? Hackers have tools that can quickly crack weak passwords. A stronger password takes much longer for them to crack.
According to experts, a good password is about 12 characters long and includes at least one uppercase letter, one symbol, and one number. It could take thousands of years for current technology to crack a password like this. Besides, you should avoid using patterns in your pattern like 12345 or common phrases. Besides all these things, you must update your password regularly. Remember one thing, a stolen password can lead to serious problems, and it can happen to anyone.
3. Use Anti-Virus and Update Software Regularly
You must use antivirus software to protect your computer from harmful programs. But you should always install the antivirus according to your operating system. The reason is that. Some antivirus programs may not protect popular browsers like Google Chrome.
Besides, you must update the software of your machine because it makes your computer better.
Plus, updating software with security fixes also makes your computer safer. For example, new security updates can help stop hackers from using tricks to get into your computer or software. It’s a good idea to regularly update your computer’s operating system, internet browser, router, and other important programs.
4. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Even if you have a very strong password, it can still be risky if someone steals it. That’s why you must turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your system. When you apply for MFA, hackers have to pass two or more security checks. For example, if they know your username and password, they might also need to show proof it’s them trying to get in. This could be by getting a special code sent to your phone or another device.
Wrapping Up
You live in the age of the internet and soon post-internet era is coming. But still, many people don’t know how to use the internet safely. So, we bring this piece of writing that has discussed the incredible internet safety tips. Next time before using the internet, it is mandatory to follow the tips mentioned above to avoid any monetary and non-monetary issues.