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Your data is important because it contains your personal information and you do not want it stolen by hackers. Whether it is your pictures, videos, or official documents, you need to keep them safe from cybercriminals. If you are a writer, you cannot let your manuscript be stolen because they can publish your work and take credit that you originally deserved. What if your boss trusted you with a highly confidential report and due to your negligence, someone got hold of it? What do you do? Can you ask for help? Were you cautious enough in the first place? At least you would have saved yourself from the embarrassment of losing the confidential report. This is why it is said, “Prevention is better than cure.”
How to Stay Safe Online?
There are several things you must do to stay safe online and protect yourself from cybercriminals. Here are 15 proven ways to avoid losing your data to the wrong hands:
Always Encrypt Your Data
You might think that you do not need to do this because only tech geeks encrypt their data and yours is not that important anyway, but you are wrong. Not only is it extremely easy to do, but it is also the most secure way to save your data.
Keep a Data Backup
There are chances that you could still lose your data even if you are very careful. Accidents happen to anybody. If you have crucial data and do not want to lose, always keep it backed up. Save it somewhere, either on your computer or in your email inbox. There are several platforms to keep your data safe from getting lost.
Install Anti-Malware Protection
Malware, which is short for malicious software, is a plague that could destroy much of your data. Sometimes we do not even know where the malware came from. It is usually hiding in a downloaded file like pictures, songs, or an email, and even on websites, you have visited on the internet. They could also be hiding in your friend’s USB. The bottom line, keep your system protected by installing anti-malware software that combats any virus or malware from entering your computer.
Clean Computer Hardware Before Disposing of It
We assume that even when we clean our computer’s hardware, all our data is lost, but that is not how it goes. There are chances that some of your data is still present somewhere in the hardware, which you cannot see unless you are a hardware engineer. To remove your data from the hardware that you plan to throw away, you will need to consult a tech professional to clean your device properly.
Enable Automatic Updates
While technology is evolving by leaps and bounds, so are the viruses. The best way to keep your computer safe from extremely smart viruses is to enable automatic updates so that the advanced settings will fight the advanced viruses.
Properly Turn Off Your Computer
It is important that you properly shut down your computer or else your stored data could be stolen. If your computer is connected to the internet, cyber thieves can take control of your system and spread malware. Powering it off is the easiest solution to keep your system safe from cybercriminals.
Secure Your Wireless Network
Create strong passwords on your wireless networks, this will keep your devices safe from unauthorized individuals trying to enter your system. Especially if it is your Wi-Fi, a strong password will help guard your personal information.
Passphrases Instead Of Passwords
Now that we are discussing passwords, another great way to keep your device safe from harmful invasions is by setting up a good password that no one can guess. A great tip is to use passphrases instead of passwords, which will ensure you meet the character limit. You should also use symbols and punctuation, which makes passwords even stronger. The phrase could be your favorite quote from a movie or a sentence you liked from a book.
Different Passwords for Different Forums
One of the biggest mistakes we commit is using the same password for every social media account, application, and device. The second mistake we make is using our social security number, date of birth, name, or address as our passwords. If someone cracks your password – which is not a tough job – they then have access to all your applications, accounts, and devices. Imagine the harm they could bring upon you.
Disable Media Sharing With Random Applications
Imagine you are on Facebook and you see an application that offers to show you how you will look in ten years. The application needs access to your phone’s gallery and you press “Allow” – you have just let an invader into your system. Do not let unverified applications invade your personal data. It could be easily misused.
Overwrite Data Before You Delete Files
As we mentioned before, data is never permanently lost from your computer. It is still hiding in your system, you just cannot see it. The solution to this problem is to overwrite your data files so that even if someone accesses your computer, they cannot get to your private information.
Check the Security Settings
On your phone, you should check the security settings immediately after the setup. Beware of the applications that ask for permission to access your location on a map, the pictures in your gallery, or messages from your phone. You should also use a password on your phone for security.
Disable Automatic Backups
The cloud may automatically backup your phone’s data, which is a good thing because you do not have to do it yourself. Nevertheless, this could be dangerous since you should be the only one to have access to your data. To avoid letting the cloud backup and share your data on its own, you can simply disable the option.
Install Content Filters
Sometimes your children, without your knowledge, use your devices including phone, tablet, and PC. When sharing devices the best advice is to never save anything important to it, but if you have no other option then you should try to install content filters to avoid malware from entering your personal computer. For instance, children are careless and they click on sites that are capable of infecting your computer with viruses. Your job is to take measures that control such situations like installing software. However, to do this you need a good internet service like the one offered in Spectrum internet plans. The company offers fast, reliable, and secure internet service, which is sufficient to support multiple online activities all the while keeping you safe from prying eyes.
Enable Remote Location on Your Device
If your device gets stolen, there is a way that you can track it and wipe its data all at the same time. All you need to do is enable remote locations and the data-wiping application will help protect your device, even in the wrong hands.
So, keep the aforementioned tips in mind when surfing the World Wide Web and always keep your data safe from prying eyes.