Today’s internet era comes with its advantages and disadvantages. It includes potential threats that lurk in the shadows of every corner of the web. Whether it’s identity theft, targeted phishing attacks, or malware or ransomware infecting devices, every Internet user is vulnerable to such risks. It’s essential to raise awareness about these threats and minimise their risks.

However, all it takes is a little effort from your side to stay safe online and keep your digital footsteps completely anonymous from hackers and fraudsters. These five tips below will help you bring some safety and security to your online life.

1. Stop reusing passwords

No matter how long and complex your password can be, reusing it for different accounts is a significant risk to your online safety.

Suppose one of the services you use daily suffers from a security breach or gets acquired by some shady company, and your account password is accessible to hackers. Then they can attempt logging into other websites with your credentials and, if you happen to use the same password elsewhere, will successfully gain access to your sensitive data. You can avoid all this by installing a password manager on your device.

A password manager can generate strong and unique passwords for your use, meaning you can have random, robust passwords for every site or service without needing to remember them all. It can also safely store your credentials in one place behind encryption – something only you can get past with a master password or biometric authentication.

We highly recommend visiting Have I Been Pwned to check whether your existing passwords are exposed publicly on the web. If found to be compromised, you should immediately replace them with long and unpredictable passwords.

2. Turn on 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)

2FA, or Two-factor authentication, adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts online. When enabled, you will need to enter not only your password but also validate your login session via an authenticator app, SMS, or email. It usually involves entering a one-time alphanumeric code that expires in a short period.

Having 2FA turned on prevents hackers from gaining access to your accounts even if they have your login details. All you need to do is install an authenticator app on your device and pair it with the supported apps and services you use. The pairing process is as easy as scanning a QR code or entering a security key. Once set up, the authenticator app will generate a new code for each of your accounts every short interval.

We discourage using SMS as a 2FA method because of the growing SIM-swap attacks in recent years. For the highest level of protection, consider purchasing a USB security key. It acts as a hardware token, which you will have to plug into your device to confirm your identity. Only a handful of sites (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter) supports this two-factor authentication standard.

Sure, 2FA inconveniently adds another step to the login process, but its significance is clear from a security standpoint.

3. Keep your devices up to date

Installing software updates can be frustrating, time-consuming, and may feel like a waste of bandwidth for no apparent changes. But remember that they are not just about UI changes and feature additions. Device manufacturers often push critical updates to fix bugs, patch security vulnerabilities and mitigate against rising threats.

Thus, not updating to the latest software can put you in harm’s way. We recommend enabling “Automatic Updates” on your device or manually checking for updates regularly. In case of a pending update, you should download and install it immediately.

Don’t forget about your browser!

Just like your device’s operating system, the web browser you use daily is also vulnerable to security risks. So make sure you are running the latest version.

Modern browsers nowadays can automatically download and install updates in the background. However, they prompt users to restart for the changes to take effect. While some of you may find it disrupting, the process only takes a few seconds, and your browser tabs should reopen upon restart.

4. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is the most common and effective way to keep your data safe and maintain uptight anonymity online.

A VPN re-routes your network traffic through a private server rather than your internet service provider (ISP). It also encrypts the connection to create a secure “bridge” between your device and the internet, obfuscating your sensitive data in the process. It essentially doubles as a firewall and controls the flow of sent and received data packets.

You can use a VPN to not only have a private and secure browsing experience but also access sites, services, and content that are geo-restricted or banned in your country otherwise. All it takes is a few clicks to connect to your preferred server and trick websites into thinking that you are from a different country.

Free VPNs are notorious for doing the opposite: harvesting your browsing history and selling it to third parties. Hence, we recommend using trustworthy and the best pricing VPN services for online protection.

5. Follow safe browsing practices

It’s easy to get comfortable with visiting any site, downloading files from unknown sources, and sharing too much information when browsing the internet. But these are the things you should avoid doing at all costs. Instead, we encourage you to take note of the following safe browsing practices:

• Never share your name, address, login details, banking credentials, and other identifying information with strangers online.
• The bank or IRS will never urge you to share your financial details or account passwords over the phone, SMS, or email. If they ask you to input your data on a questionable website, it’s most likely a phishing scam that you should immediately report to the official authorities.
• Avoid entering your credit card/billing information or purchasing anything from unsecured shopping sites.
  You can identify whether a site is secure or not by checking the URL, which should start with the “https:\\” text. The “s” in the text means the connection is secure and encrypted. Not having it means the exact opposite.
• Download apps and files from trusted and authorised sources only. Avoid downloading anything from shady file-sharing sites, or even visit in the first place, as they might infect your device with malware or spyware or the worst of all— ransomware.
• Try to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots as much as possible because they usually are prone to security attacks. And if you need to, use a VPN service. It makes it near impossible for hackers to snoop on your activities.
• None of your privacy measures will be effective if you keep using the Google or Bing search engine. Their monetisation model mainly involves selling user data to third-party advertisers. A private search engine like DuckDuckGo is your best bet.

To conclude

Some of the most common steps to staying safe and maintaining privacy online include turning on 2FA login, using a password manager, keeping your device software up-to-date, and using a trusted VPN service. Being aware of the aforementioned browsing practices will also help you safeguard your digital identity.