Figure 1 You should always be as secure as possible online
We’ve all heard the horror stories. Being scammed is one of the modern age’s biggest fears, as we all live out our lives increasingly online. Cyber security is a huge business on its own but you can take important steps to increase your own online security – and most of them will not even involve spending money.
When you take a look at that MyBookie review or read the news on your favorite site there is little chance that you will be putting yourself in danger. But there are plenty of other sites that you will probably visit on a daily basis that could cause much more trouble.
We don’t want to add our voice to the panic about cyber security. But it would be remiss of us not to alert you to some of the simple things you can do to make sure that your own online life stays secure. Here are some things to remember.
Update Your Browser
As with many of the trap falls online, our first tip is one that most people don’t even think about. Everyone is so concerned about keeping passwords secure and not clicking onto anything dodgy that they might forget to do something as straightforward and easy as updating your browser.
If your browser hasn’t been updated in a while it could be vulnerable to threats. All browsers will need regular updates to fix any issues with the way they run. You may not even notice anything not working properly but it is crucial that you take action when a new update is released – and it only takes a few minutes to complete.
Update Your Antivirus Software
This is one that you will probably be vaguely aware of even if you don’t fully understand what this type of software does. You will have heard of computer viruses but an antivirus program actually does a whole lot more for your computer and that is why you should make sure it is updated as well.
Malware on your devices can steal your personal and financial information without you even realizing. You can just let your antivirus protection run smoothly in the background but do make sure that you are ransomware protected too. Some software packages come with some protection included but check the details – and update annually.
Keep an Eye on Your Banking
Most online security articles will concentrate on what you can do with your computer or device. But there are other parts of your life that you can keep an eye on to give you an early clue that something is going wrong. Turning on banking notifications is a simple way to stay vigilant.
Most online banking services also offer a free notification service where you will be told when there is any activity on your account. Hopefully, there will never be anything out of the ordinary happening. But if there is a mysterious incident, you will know straight away and be able to deal with the problem before it gets out of hand.
Use Different Passwords
We know, we know, everyone knows the advice about using different and complex passwords for your online accounts. But we also know that many people find it too much of a pain to come up with the many passwords you need these days – and resort to memorable ones that are used for multiple accounts instead.
This is exactly what hackers are counting on, as they steal batches of passwords and codes and try them in multiple places to commit their crimes. By using a password manager you will not only have complex and unique passwords for your accounts, but you will also only need to remember the one that gives you access to the manager, as it logs in automatically for you after that.
Pay with Your Phone
Unfortunately, the way we pay with our credit cards is out of date and can open us up to some serious online trouble. By using your smartphone to pay for goods with a contactless reader you will be providing yourself with so much more protection and peace of mind.
Any risk of credit card skimming is immediately eradicated but a smartphone payment app also uses a one-time code to authenticate to transaction. So, even if there were some nefarious hacker collecting details, the information would be of no use for any future purchases.
Figure 2 Using a smartphone to pay rather than a card is much safer
Clear the Cache
You would probably be surprised how much information your computer stores about you after you have been online. Cookies, saved searches and even browsing history can hold vital clues for hackers about your personal and financial data. So, clearing the cache on a regular basis is a good idea.
Don’t worry about losing personalization either. Most browsers allow users to keep the information on their favorite sites, so you won’t have to spend an annoying amount of time finding exactly where you want to be online. Just select the data you want to be cleared and make your browsing more secure.
Be Smart When You Click
We hope that the tips we have shared here will help with your online security. But we thought we would finish off with the most basic piece of advice of all – but one that is vital if you are going to be secure online. Always think twice before you click on any link when you are on an online device.
You may think that you are not dumb enough to fall for the oldest phishing trick in the book. But thousands of people are conned all the time – and the criminals are getting wiser. Hover over a link before clicking to check it is legit and look out for any irregularities. It is always better to be safe, rather than sorry.