Spending time online is much safer than going out at night. While this is undoubtedly true, a lot of people go out at night, and nothing happens to them, while there are more and more instances of people getting hurt (even in real life) via online means.
The thing is that if you were to go out at night, you would be careful, take all the safety precautions you can, and even avoid some parts of the city. Why don’t you extend that same carefulness to your online activity?
Here’s a comprehensive guide on staying safe while browsing the internet to help you out.
1. Use a VPN
While getting your devices hacked sounds like a disaster, it’s even worse if your real life is endangered. Someone could potentially swat you, doxx you for everyone to see your address, and even start harassing your real-life friends, employers, and acquaintances.
So, you want to start by using a VPN. While there are a lot of free VPNs out there, it might be worth your while paying for a premium, like the options reviewed and compared here. This is especially the case if you’re using it for more than just keeping your identity safe.
There are so many other benefits of VPN that you just have to take into consideration. For instance, it’s commonly used to bypass geo-restrictions, which is a huge issue in some areas. Even some of the biggest streaming services restrict certain videos to their customers based on their location. We’re talking about people who actually paid for the service.
VPN is also efficient at bypassing censorship. Some regions restrict what platforms their residents can use, and your Google feed is affected by your geographic location. With the help of a VPN, none of this will be the case.
2. Update all your software
Your software is developed to provide you protection from the majority of online attacks, but it will only do so if it’s the latest version (if it’s up to date). Otherwise, you’re in a world of trouble.
Browsers are designed to be your first and last line of defense while browsing the internet. Well, they can only do so if they’re updated regularly. Look at it this way: there’s nothing wrong with legacy platforms, but your security isn’t something you should compromise on.
The same goes for your antivirus system. Sure, the majority of antivirus platforms have a free plan, but if you’re spending so much time online, potentially even working from your device, paying for antivirus software is certainly worth it.
The reason why your antivirus needs to be updated is the fact that this is the only way it keeps you completely safe. What do we mean by that? Well, if you take a look at any review or even product description of an antivirus, you’ll see that it promises to keep you safe from any viruses that existed a week or two weeks ago. The best ones claim zero-day protection (all viruses and malware that exist on a current date). Still, for all of this to have any meaning, you need to keep it up to date.
3. Make stronger passwords
If your password is weak, all that one has to do in order to take over your systems is figure out your email address. This way, they have the username surrogate, and they have the password. If you don’t have a 2FA, that’s it; you’re in a world of trouble.
What is a strong password?
Generally speaking, it’s something that someone could never guess, not in a million years. While a lot of cybersecurity experts try to make a science out of this, there are only three principles you need to follow that will resolve all of these issues.
* First, they need to be random. This means a completely randomized sequence of symbols that has no meaning.
* Second, they have to be unique. This means that you’re allowed to use a single password per platform. Using the same password for all your accounts is incredibly reckless.
* Third, you shouldn’t stick to just letters. Mix up capital with lowercase, but also add numbers and symbols.
Aside from this, one more thing you need to remember is to change your passwords from time to time. Every 60 to 90 days would be ideal, but you can go even less often if it sounds too much.
4. Don’t make enemies online
Previously, we’ve mentioned that people have been known to swat others just for laughs. However, more often than not, it’s due to an online grudge. You see, people tend to be especially vitriolic online because they believe that their alternative identity will protect them. This is sadly not the case.
Now, don’t get us wrong, we don’t condone this type of behavior by any means. No matter what you say to someone online, they have no right to transfer this beef to the real world. However, the fact that they don’t have the right to do so doesn’t mean they won’t.
Keep in mind that if you’re using your real name, you have too much information available online. Some people are so determined that they won’t have a problem going years, even decades back, and digging out some posts that you even forgot you made (otherwise, you would probably have deleted it) and using them for character assassination.
Others may send requests to your friends and spread lies about you. Some of them might warn you, but others might just jump to conclusions.
To make the long story short, having online enemies is pointless but it can be potentially very harmful.
5. Avoid online frauds
When we talk about online fraud, the majority of you immediately think of the Nigerian Prince. As it turns out, you have more realistic scams to be scared about.
There are so many people looking to scam you online that it’s not even funny. A lot of people are sly about it; they start out nice, try being your friends, and before you know it, they send you a suspicious link in the chat.
The problem is that, with the help of AI, these scams have become far more dangerous. Sure, the majority of standard AI chatbots used in the business world have strong ethical constraints, but this won’t always be the case. Basic chatbots, even ChatGPT, can be easily gaslighted into doing some pretty unethical things.
Then, there’s the issue of altering photo evidence with deepfakes that are so convincing. Imagine a person trying to sell you a deepfake of your partner with someone else in a scenario where you’re already borderline jealous. How eager would you be to believe them?
These tools can also be used to mimic someone’s voice to an unprecedented level of precision. In the past, AI voice was laughably bad. Now, it’s really hard to tell it apart from the real person.
The scary thing is that it’s getting better and better.
You’re responsible for your own security
No one has the right to hurt you, scam you, or besmirch you in front of your own friends. However, this doesn’t mean that these things are impossible to happen, especially in the digital world. This is why you need to take more care of your own safety and the above-listed five methods can help you out.
