How To Protect Yourself On The Internet?
Over the past few years, the Internet has changed dramatically and has become accessible to everyone. It is possible to go online for different reasons, including searching for necessary information, buying goods, ordering certain services, freelancing, paying utility bills, etc. But with the expansion of opportunities for users of the network the number of crimes has increased, such as fraudulent schemes, identity theft, conducting illegal financial transactions, data collection about personal life, the publication of stolen information.
In today’s world, there is also harassment of people in virtual networks. Therefore, active network users often have questions related to how they can protect themselves online? Also a few basic ways will be discussed further.
What Risks Can be Found Online?
There are many threats on the Internet that may not only dislocate a person, but also completely destroy a person’s life. So it is important to know what we are talking about, and what dangers await each user of the network:
- computer viruses and trojans – when you download various programs, applications, files from the Internet, which are suspicious, there is a risk of malicious products entering the operating system; they can delete information from your computer on their own, as well as gain access to personal data; you can learn more about these viruses at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus;
- network server attacks are a search for places in the computer operating system that are more vulnerable to hacking, with the blocking of various programs and system applications, theft of personal information, adding unnecessary software products to the computer;
- social engineering – it is based on trust in a stranger, who in every possible way tries to get the personal data of the Internet user; for this purpose the fraudsters have invented a huge variety of tricks;
- Clone sites, which almost 100% copy in their virtual space information from known to all reliable resources; as a result, potential victims entrust their personal data and payment details to strangers about whom they know nothing.
There is also a high risk of identity theft through social networking accounts. But this danger concerns only those users who actively maintain their pages and blogs, trying to attract as much attention as possible. This includes the scammers themselves.
The Most Popular Ways to Protect Your Data Online
Services related to leisure and recreation are in great demand on the Internet. One popular option is the online casino, where you can not only have a good time, but also earn extra money to the family budget. Especially attractive offer for fans of excitement are free casino slots games, the only condition for the launch of which is to reach the age of majority. But behind this benefit lies the risk of falling for an unfair casino, which may deceive its customers – after obtaining their personal data to block the account or withdraw money from the account.
That is why when choosing slots for real money it is essential to check the reliability of the gaming platform itself and the safety of cooperation with it. In addition, experienced users have long been using proven methods to protect their identity and payment details. These methods allow you to keep your data secret and without risk to use Internet services.
Digital Education: How to Protect Your Identity on the Internet?
No one knows where and when you can bump into scammers online. So it is better to be prepared for it always and take all protective measures.
Task | Expected result |
Specify strong and complex passwords | You should use a secure password to sign in to your social network accounts, email, and accounts on various sites. You shouldn’t tell the cipher you’ve invented to anyone. It’s better to change these codes periodically for better protection. |
Use a dual or multi-factor authentication procedure to log in | It is not recommended to verify your identity when logging into your account by text message verification. As this method is not considered the most secure |
Frequent connection to public networks is not recommended | Provided that you still have to connect to Wi-Fi in a public place, it is worth limiting financial transactions. It is also better not to enter personal accounts and social media pages. |
Downloading and installing only verified antivirus programs | Free antivirus is an attractive program that lures a large number of web users with its affordability. But it is such a software product that allows hackers to penetrate into someone else’s computer, taking possession of the necessary information. Therefore, you should not spare money to buy an antivirus in order to protect your own data. |
You should not leave personal information about yourself and payment information on the network | Websites that do not have a verification badge are constantly under attack by hackers and fraudsters, who obtain personal data on clients and “leak” the information they receive. The same pattern applies to notifications from banking organizations and various state-owned institutions, which contain active links to go to the sites. Scammers very often use such a scheme. They specify fake website addresses in the messages, and after clicking on those addresses, the information is automatically “leaked”. In the case of doubts about the reliability of the company, it is better to call the technical support staff and find out the question of interest. |
After conducting a thorough analysis of the collected information, experts can state that the most frequent victims of attacks by scammers are those Internet users who do not comply with these rules. Therefore, it is better to protect yourself from unwanted consequences and regularly follow these recommendations. And when accessing the Internet from mobile gadgets, it is better to install a VPN-extension in your browser.