Are you worried about how much of your private information is there online? Well, with incidents of cybercrime and data breaches rising with each passing day, it is best to be cautious.
You can take specific steps that’ll help protect all the personal and financial information you submit online. After all, online communications can be intercepted, and that could lead to data theft or modification. Read on to find the best tips for securing your data in this digital world.
Switch Your Search Engine
Like an overwhelming majority of internet surfers, your preferred search engine must be Google and rely on it heavily. If Google’s privacy offering suits you, there is no need to do anything. However, you should know that you have other options available.
People often opt for other search engines, with privacy being the main reason for doing so. These search engines refrain from collecting too much information and might offer additional protections from it. For instance, these anonymous search engines can block ad trackers when you visit websites and browser fingerprinting.
Pick Quality Antivirus Software
Reliable antivirus software is essential. That should include all the devices you use. It prevents hackers from taking remote control over your computer to access all your sensitive personal information. Additionally, if you accidentally download malware, your antivirus tool should alert you of possible danger.
After you’ve installed the software, you need to be very particular about all the latest updates as these are made to counter the latest malware, spyware, and all other viruses. Be sure to run the update the moment you are notified.
Mind Where You Click
Phishing attempts are a common method used by hackers to breach your online privacy. You could be tricked into giving away valuable financial and personal information. A common way to do so is by sending fake emails that appear to have come from banks, credit card companies or other financial establishments. These emails urge you to click on links to verify details of your financial information so that your account isn’t frozen or even closed.
Make sure that you don’t fall for these fake emails, as they are all a part of financial scams. Clicking on such links can take you to a spoofed website that will resemble a legitimate bank or any other financial institution.
However, after you enter your account details, it’ll reach the scammers who have launched the phishing attack, not the bank. Before you click on the link, you should hover the cursor over the link so you can see its destination URL. That way, you’ll be able to see if it matches the URL of the genuine website you use regularly.
Surf In the Incognito or Private Mode
Make it a point to surf in the incognito mode if you want to prevent your computer from saving your browsing history, cookies, or your temporary internet files. These days, web browsers offer versions of private surfing that help protect your privacy. Chrome calls it Incognito Mode, and Firefox calls this setting Private Browsing. With these modes of searching switched on, you can prevent others from tracking your browsing history on your computer.
However, be aware that these private modes might not be everything you expect. Even when you browse in the incognito or private mode, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and network manager can still keep tabs on what you are browsing online. So, if you are searching on a computer at your office, your colleague or subordinate may as well. The websites you have visited also track you.
Therefore, while incognito browsing does come with benefits, it’s not the only tool you can use to maintain your online privacy. Anonymous search engines and Virtual Private Networks can add more security to the original incognito mode setup.
Encrypt Your Traffic
A VPN helps you become more virtually untraceable by hiding IP address and encrypting internet traffic. Data encryption ensures that no one can intercept your connection and learn more about your online activities. It also prevents your ISP from seeing what you do online, and this also helps stop these entities from performing throttling. Combine a VPN, private browsing modes, and alternative search engines to get the best results.
Conclusion
With hackers on the prowl and incidents of data breaches rising, our online security is under constant threat. To make things worse, tech giants have been found to share personal data with data brokers at a profit. The situation we are in should jolt you into action. Be particular about covering your tracks every time you go online. Our tips help you do so, greatly enhancing your cybersecurity and privacy.
