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Friday, March 29, 2024

How to Make Sure Your Online Data Is Secure

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In 2021, an average person relies too much data on the internet. They socialize, buy, sell and even work online. So, with so many online actions that a person has to complete, making shortcuts like saving your passwords and just automatically clicking on memorized button sequences seems like a logical thing to do.

It saves time, right?

Sure, it does; but at what cost?

By making your online experience faster, you are compromising your security. In the end, you stand to lose much more than you would gain. So, is there a way for you to avoid allowing this to happen? Is there a way for you to make sure your online data is secure at all times? Here are five useful tips to help you out.

1. Every login needs a different passport

What’s worse than having your password compromised?

Having your one and only password compromised.

Sure, someone figuring out your Facebook/Instagram password is bad. Really, really bad. However, what happens if this particular password is the same one you use for your PayPal, Gmail and other online accounts as well? Needless to say, this would be a proper nightmare and your security would be seriously compromised. So, there are three tips you need to follow here:

  • Never use the same password twice.
  • Avoid saving passwords on your browser.
  • Make sure that your password is strong and unique even if the site doesn’t insist on it.

Overall, the majority of the tips listed here are intuitive and, therefore, easy to memorize.

2. Install and regularly update your IT data security tools

Everyone needs an antivirus, however, if you are a website owner, you might want to go a step further. According to experts behind Katana IT managed IT solutions are the best way for your brand to get the protection it needs. Entrusting your data protection to professionals is generally a failproof idea.

On the other hand, if you choose to handle this situation on your own, there are two things you’ll have to remember. These are:

  • Premium antivirus/anti-malware plans offer more than free ones.
  • Updating your antivirus software regularly is really the only way to stay safe.

Keep in mind that choosing the antivirus software shouldn’t be a choice you make lightly either.

3. Use VPN

The simplest way to describe what VPN does for your website is to provide you with more online privacy and anonymity. This makes it nearly impossible for a potential hacker to figure out exactly where you’re coming from. To put it simply, it adds an additional barrier between you and the hacker by distancing you additionally from the data you send or receive. In other words, the benefits are quite self-explanatory and there are some free VPN services out there you can try out.

4. Learn about phishing

Phishing is an online scam in which the malicious party tricks you into believing that you’re dealing with a legitimate website when you’re actually not.

Imagine a scenario where you click on a link that seemingly leads to your bank account. However, what you fail to notice is that there’s a “typo” in your bank account’s URL. Instead, this is a scam page, custom-made by the online criminal. So, when you type your password, they will get to see it and use it on your real bank account.

This was just an oversimplified example of what an average phishing account looks like. So, pay close attention to the URL whenever logging in.

5. Social media data privacy

Whatever you upload on your social media accounts is out there in the open. Sure, you may control who you have in your friends and followers but do you really know if their accounts are secure, to begin with? One of their social media accounts may be hacked, which means that the hacker also gains an access to your profile. Remember, this is the best-case scenario where you vet all your friend/follower requests and keep all your posts private.

If some of your passwords are inspired by personal information like your kid’s birthday or your pets, this will be relatively easy for anyone to figure out by just looking at your social media profile. Then, there’s the issue of screenshots. Just because you’ve restricted access to your data, this doesn’t mean that one of your friends/followers can’t just screenshot your most recent upload and send it to someone else. Overall, social media privacy is never guaranteed so make sure that you think carefully about what you upload.

In conclusion

Being careful is really the only way to protect yourself in the online world. So, make strong passwords and keep them unique for every single aspect of the business. Second, make sure that you have the right software/services on your side. Third, inform yourself of all the latest scam trends online, on a regular basis. Most importantly, be extra careful with who you share your personal information with (especially on social media).

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