|
|
|
|
11 Online Privacy and Security Tips
|
If you spend any significant amount of time on the Internet, you have likely spent time thinking about online privacy and security. Every year, thousands of people suffer the devastating effects of identity theft, and a growing number of those incidents occur online. While it is impossible to be completely safe, there are some common sense things you can do to significantly reduce the chances of becoming an online identity theft victim.
#1 – Avoid phishing schemes – If you’ve ever gotten what appears to be an official looking email from one of your credit cards or from your bank, only to realize it was a scam artist that was responsible, you’ve been phished. These fake emails manage to fool millions of people every year, and the results can be devastating. If you aren’t sure if an email you’ve received is authentic, contact your bank or credit card directly. Most experts agree that phishing scams are the biggest threat to online privacy and security.
#2 Stay on alert for unknown email attachments – While the days of Outlook Express automatically opening all email attachments is long gone, you still need to remain vigilant when it comes to unknown and unwanted attachments, especially ones ending in .dll or .exe. These emails likely contain viruses or keyloggers that record every letter you type in your keyboard. Your login names, passwords and other information can be stolen and that can lead to identity theft. Good online privacy and security begins with smart email usage.
#3 Don’t click on unknown URLs in emails – Smart hackers have developed several different methods in which to embed viruses and other harmful programs onto your computer. Some websites have the ability to automatically install dangerous software on your computer, all you need to do is click on a link sent in an email. Simply put, if you don’t know who the email is from, don’t download an attachment or click on a link that is embedded in it.
#4 Trust your instincts when it comes to suspicious websites – Anyone who has spent more than a few minutes online knows that not all websites are created equal. Some are professionally made and are very reputable, while others, well, aren’t. If you’ve stumbled upon a website that looks odd, causes a flurry of pop up windows to appear on your screen or suddenly freezes up your computer or causes your hard drive to start working overtime, leave it immediately. It is likely trying to install an unwanted and dangerous program on your computer. Exploring the Internet is fine, but good online privacy and security means knowing when to get out of a bad part of town.
#5 Do your research before doing business online – One of the genuinely great things about the Internet is the fact that there are so many merchants selling so many different products that can all be shipped right to your door., but before you whip out your credit card for the very first time, do a quick Google or Yahoo search and see if this vendor is on the up and up. You wouldn’t haphazardly hand your credit card to a suspicious street merchant, don’t do the same thing online.
#6 Encryption is your friend – Today’s web browsers do a great job of telling you the status of the website you are visiting. If you’ve ever bought anything online from merchants like Amazon, you’ve probably noticed the small “lock” icon that shows up when you enter the checkout area. That icon means that you are on a secure connection. Don’t ever give out personal information or a credit card number on any website that isn’t secure. Maybe the best online privacy and security tool you have is your very own web browser.
#7 The more complex your passwords, the better – There is an old joke in the movie Spaceballs about a character having the luggage combination 1-2-3-4-5. If you’ve chosen this little gem as your default password for your bank, email and other websites, change it now. The more complex your password is, the better; try to intermingle letters and numbers, and if you can set your password to a jumble of characters and not an actual word, you’ll be even safer.
#8 Your computer is only as safe as your anti virus software – Many new computer users aren’t fully aware of just how much maintenance it takes to keep our beloved machines safe. You not only need to purchase anti virus software, but you also have to keep it up to date and you have to run regular scans, as well. Thankfully, most of today’s top antivirus programs have automated settings that will do all of these vital functions for you. Make sure yours is set to “auto” or you might as well not even have the program installed at all.
#9 Get extra help from anti-spyware and anti-malware programs – As good as the top anti virus programs are, they sometimes need a helping hand. There are a slew of free or free to try anti spyware and anti malware programs online, all you have to do is pick one and install it. You can also set many of these programs to auto update and auto run, but you’ll have to read the installation instructions to figure out how. Good online privacy and security means having extra protection where you need it most.
#10 Get a firewall – Today, most top anti virus programs come with a built in firewall, but if yours doesn’t, get one fast. A firewall acts as a moat between you and the Internet. It controls who gets in and how, and who gets out, as well. It will take some configuring, but the investment of time is worth it.
#11 Disconnect – The great thing about today’s broadband connections is that we stay online all the time, even when we’re sleeping or out of the home. You can improve your online privacy and security by simply disconnecting your modem when you aren’t using your computer. It only takes a second or two to reconnect and you are keeping yourself hidden from hackers and other online malcontents who might try to access your machine when you aren’t around.
|
|
|
|
> Privacy Software 
