Some of us spend our entire existences online and that can have terrible effects. You can have money stolen, personal details hijacked.
What you can do wrong
- Same passwords: This is a massive error you will sign up for things every day and who knows what some of these software companies are doing with your details.
- Complacent internet habits: Generally you can get really complacent about how you use the internet; if you use the computer 12 hours a day you will probably be doing the same thing.
- Out of date security and browser versions: The computers should not be out of date browsers and anti-virus software.
- Window settings: Used an insecure page.
Email security tips to stop hackers
Here are some of the very minimum things you should do if you want to stop hackers from ruining your life.
- Different passwords: Every single account should have a different password.
- Complex passwords: If your password is less than ten characters long, a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols then it is not strong enough.
- Complex usernames: I bet 95% of you have your email address or name as your username?
- Updated anti-virus and anti-malware software: You need to have an updated version (or two) of the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.
- Latest Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari versions: Don’t just ignore that update request from your browser, do it right away. Some of those updates are security ones.
- Use email securely with the right URL: does the URL say “http://” or “https://”? If it is the former then you are not in a secure session. Go in to your settings and make sure it always uses https:// and whenever you log into any website make sure you type the “s” if you are logging in.
- Don’t use public free Wi-Fi: You know when you go to a cafe and log on to the free network? Well, it is very easy to steal your Facebook and email passwords using a simple Firefox plugin.
- Make your security questions tough: make them complex answers
- Back up everything: You should constantly be backing up your hard drive, emails to an external hard drive.
- Don’t use your PC Administrator account: did you know that by using a non-administrator account you can slow down the spread of a virus attack.
- Monitor your logged on locations: a little line of text that says “Last account activity” it is an important one to monitor. If you suspect something is not right you should keep an eye on this and record unfamiliar IPs.
- Don’t click links in emails: a general rule, most banks and financial institutions don’t send you emails with links. Don’t ever click any such email you get.
- Research the latest: Make sure you are up to date with the latest in internet security.