Ways to Keep Yourself Safe on the Internet

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Using the internet isn’t as sunshine and rainbows as you think it might be. While we use the internet to make things easier for us, such as browsing our favorite social media apps, watching our favorite movies and TV shows, carrying out transactions online, doing business online, and a lot more, the internet also poses a lot of threat. 

There is the risk of online attacks, data breaches, and ransomware. Even though there are some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as Xfinity Internet, that incorporate the maximum level of security in their internet service; there are still some responsible steps you can carry out to make sure you are safe on the internet. Here are some steps that you can follow too:

Make Sure you Keep your Personal Information on the Down Low

It would make absolutely no sense to put your relationship status, your location, or even details about your family or where you live on the internet since no one needs to know all of that. If you do go for a job application, you would have to give it in person but not on the internet since it isn’t safe there. Just make sure you remain to the point on the internet when it comes to personal information, for instance, you can only mention your age in certain places and nothing more. 

Be sure not to put out your phone number or your email address on the internet so that everyone could contact you since that could also lead to spam. Just like how you wouldn’t give out your essential information to a stranger on the street, the same goes for millions of strangers on the internet who don’t need to know what your name is or where you live. So be more responsible and mindful of what you put on the internet. 

Ensure that all of your Devices are Kept up to date

Once you update the firmware on your device, it also gives you security patches that make sure that your device is as secure as possible. This makes sure that you are protected from unwanted attacks or data breaches. These days, it is fairly easier to break into someone’s device and get into their personal data. This also includes cloud storage, which even many celebrities have fallen prey to. 

Not only should you keep your devices up to date but you should also keep all your apps updated too, such as your web browser and your general operating software. Not only will this bring a security patch to your device but it will also protect you against potential malware and viruses. You can also turn on automatic updates so that they update on their own and you don’t have to do it manually every time. 

Your Privacy Settings need to be turned on at all times

Even though it might seem like something that is insignificant but your privacy settings need to be turned on at all times. If they are kept off, then you could be vulnerable to attacks by hackers and you could be subjected to ransomware where your data is breached and is only returned to you after you pay a ransom for it.  If you keep your privacy settings off and continue to use your social media apps and even your web browser, someone can break in and see what you are searching for or even the patterns with which you use the internet so that they could use it against you for an attack. 

You should be aware that your mobile and web browsers have the option to turn on your privacy settings so that you could be as safe as possible while you surf the internet. There are also some social media apps such as Facebook that give you the option to turn on your privacy settings, so that you are safe as you use the app. This is a drawback for websites since they need this data essentially for marketing purposes. 

Use Two-Factor Authentication on your Apps

Usually, when you log in to an app or a website, all it requires is your email or your username and your password. When you turn on two-factor authentication, it sends an email or a text to your phone so that you could “authenticate” the login and proceed with it. This adds more security to your app usage and browsing so that no one else is able to log in to your account. This also sends you an alert as soon as someone tries to log in to your account and you can keep your account secure. 

Wrapping Up

It is really important that you keep yourself safe on the internet, otherwise, you would keep yourself vulnerable to online attacks and you might even land yourself in situations that would be very troublesome for you. 

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