How-to: Stay secure online
From Ashley Madison to the IRS, 2015 was the year of high profile hacks. While it can be unnerving to think about large companies and well-known establishments being successfully taken down, don't lose hope just yet. Those who refuse to invest in any form of online security are at the most risk and even deploying one or two security measures can help protect you. Follow this advice to keep yourself secure online.
Use A Password Manager
Contrary to popular opinion, password managers will not leak your passwords out to nasty hackers waiting to steal your private information. Password managers are applications that store information, such as passwords, for you and encrypt your data by using a master password. Many password managers will generate these master passwords for you so as long as you do not use them anywhere else, your information will stay safe and secure.
You benefit from using a password manager because not only do they store all of your passwords in one safe, neat place, they also generate really strong and unique passwords every time you log into a site. This is a big deal because having the same password for every website makes it much easier for hackers to steal your information. Having an application that makes a new one with each website log-in slows down hackers in a big way.
Invest In Decent Antivirus Software
Yes, that does mean paying for it. I remember my Godfather, who used to work in online security, shake his head at me when I proudly showed him that my new laptop came with free pre-installed anti-virus. Cue spending a small fortune on Kaspersky – which was worth it. Five years later and my laptop is still going strong and has not suffered from any viruses or malware attacks.
While antivirus isn't the solution to your hacking fears, there is still a place for it despite some claiming it to be 'dead'. Brian Krebs, renowned cyber crime and internet security writer, notes that "antivirus remains a useful approach to security" which can help find new variations of threats it has come across in the past.
Secure Your Mobile Technology
Mobile use is ever increasing and hackers have taken notice. Nowadays, we basically store our lives on our phones; including our banking details. After phone makers opened their platforms to third-party developers a few years ago (think Facebook and Instagram), mobile viruses were given an avenue to mobile technology.
Safeguard your mobile technology by installing antivirus software for your phone, setting a password or lock code and enabling the 'do not track' feature when you browse the internet. Both the Google chrome and Safari browsers give you this option.
Don't Open Weird Emails Or Click On Fishy Links
Notice the pun there? Phishing scams are one of the most common ways hackers access your information through email. Some things you can expect from phishing emails are questionable grammar and spelling, strange email addresses that look as if they're from a business, and links with promises of riches after you click them. Any emails from Nigerian princes should be ignored and swiftly deleted.
Practicing safe email habits are a simple yet effective way to stay safe from hackers. If you don't recognize an email address and the subject line looks strange, trust your intuition and delete it. It's not worth the risk of having your information stolen. Furthermore, never reveal sensitive data to unknown persons over email.
What Else Can I Do?
One of the best things that you can do to keep yourself protected online is to keep up to date on the latest cybersecurity news. In addition to keeping informed on new developments in the online security sphere, consider becoming an avid reader of cybersecurity experts, such as Bruce Schneier who has written extensively on the subject. And remember to share your knowledge with others so that they can stay secure online as well!
