The dark web can be a scary place, as hackers are out there trying to steal your information and sell it, every single day. Having good quality virus protection software on your computer is one of the best things you can do, but it can only do so much and there’s still a chance for viruses to leak into your system and for hackers to find you. Even a simple task such as Googling “What is my ip” can be dangerous, as you don’t know who’s sitting on the other side reading that info and tracking down your IP address as soon as you hit “Enter.” The web really is a scary place, which is why adults are so afraid of letting their kids online without supervision. So, be Safer online at every moment.
No one is perfect and anything can happen, but here are a few ways to be safer online.
Limit Your Personal Information
Your employers or those you work with don’t need to know any personal information – whether that’s your relationship status or where you live, or what dentist you go to. All they need to know is your professional background and how well you can perform a task at work, and that’s all you should put out there online. Once you put personal information online, millions of people can access it, even if they aren’t “friends” with you or “follow” you. If a hacker really wants to know where you live, they’re smart enough to figure it out in a few clicks.
Browse Safely
If you wouldn’t choose to walk on the bad side of town in your neighborhood, don’t choose to visit that side on the web, either. Cybercriminals are notorious for their ability to lure you in through the use of interesting content so you enter their website. This is when people like you, browsing through websites click on a link and there goes your control over your device. Cybercriminals can steal your data and steal your online identity, or infect your device with harmful malware that corrupts your system.
Turn on Your Privacy Settings
Hackers will do everything they can to know all about you. Just from your browsing history and social media accounts, they can gain a lot of information about you. Luckily, web browsers and mobile systems have settings available to protect your privacy as you are online. Facebook even has privacy settings embedded in their system to enhance the protection of your identity. Keep in mind that these settings may be a challenge to find because of the fact that marketers and hackers want to find your information easily. When you do find them, keep them enabled at all times.
Use a VPN Connection
Public wifi connections prevent you from having complete control over your personal security. Called “endpoints,” these wifi networks can connect to the outside world, making you vulnerable to the public. If you can, connect to a secured wifi network that requires a passcode to get access to and be safer online. VPN’s are a direct connection between your device and the Internet server so no one is able to gather any data you’re searching for.
