What’s the Best Way to Safe Online During a Pandemic?

As more people stay at home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, they tend to spend more time surfing the web for various reasons, including connecting with their loved ones. In fact, global internet traffic shot up by almost 40% between February and April this year. Unfortunately, this gives bad actors (hackers) a wider pool of victims, both businesses and individuals, for their malicious attacks. Adopting effective cybersecurity solutions could help you keep your online activities out of the radar of hackers. This article tells you exactly how to do this.

1. Stop sharing your personal information

It is probably a bad idea to reveal confidential information about yourself or your business to others. Examples may include your passwords and bank account details. Hackers can even use your relationship information to guess your passwords. By sharing your personal info with other people, you are indirectly compromising your own security; no one can be trusted. Pay close attention to the information you are sharing over the internet to make it harder for hackers to access your accounts.

2. Be careful about the links you click on

There are a lot of insecure links out there on the internet that can trick you into visiting dangerous websites. You need to be extra careful with your browsing habits when reading your emails, downloading files or visiting unfamiliar websites. Cyber-criminals sometimes purposefully design malicious software for harvesting the personal information of visitors. So, inspect links to ensure that you are not being tricked into visiting unofficial websites. For example, mygoogle.com is different from my-google.com. And do not enter your personal info on insecure websites, such as those starting http instead of https.

3. Create complex passwords

Strong and unique passwords are critical for your online security. Most cybersecurity experts recommend that a strong password is one that features numbers, upper and lower case letters, as well as special characters. This means that having a password like aZb1@/xYz is not that bad for security. As a business owner, you need to secure your financial database since data breaches can cost you the whole business. Reusing your passwords is another obvious mistake you should avoid. Also, activate 2-factor authentication codes to add an extra layer of security to your online accounts.

4. Boost your network security

Keeping your login details safe is good, but with more people working at home, boosting your network security is also worth the effort. When you hook up to the web with a password-protected router, it may encrypt your data for you. However, when you go out and use public Wi-Fi services, you do so at your own risk, as public Wi-Fi is not always secure. Hackers on the network can pull a fast one on you, and before you know what is happening, your data is gone. You can visit troypoint.com to learn how to install a virtual private network (VPN) app for your TV stick. These will secure your connection and empower you with anonymity to go about your activities.

The internet is the best place to find education and entertainment. That said, you need to stay safe from hackers by observing safety measures, starting with the above tips.