Imagup General Magazine 2024
The Internet has become an indispensable part of everyday business life. Not only large companies but also many small and medium-sized companies do a growing part of their business online. Huge sums of money are moved every day. It is therefore not surprising that the topic of internet security is constantly growing in importance.
Unsafe surfing habits also harbor other dangers. From embarrassing personal comments or pictures that once online can hardly be removed, or acquaintances with people you would rather never have met.
Although apps play a bigger role than traditional websites in most users’ daily online interactions, that doesn’t mean that the basic rules of internet security have changed. Hackers are still looking for personal information that they can use to get your credit card or account information. You can also consult mt-police if you find anything suspicious about some websites. They help you reach a valuable solution to your issues in the world of the internet.
Besides that, below mentioned are the top ten internet safety rules to help you avoid problems while surfing online or offline on the internet.
1. Limit yourself to a few reliable personal information
Potential employers or customers do not need to know your relationship status or your home address. You just need to know your expertise and professional background and how to get in touch with you. After all, you wouldn’t be sharing strictly private information with strangers – so neither should you be sharing it with millions of online users.
2. Pay attention to your privacy settings
Marketing experts want to know everything about you – just like hackers. Both of them can find out a lot about you based on your browsing habits and your social media usage. But you can protect your information. It is reported, there are settings in web browsers and mobile operating systems that you can use to protect your privacy online. Large websites like Facebook also offer settings to increase privacy. These settings are sometimes difficult to find (intentionally) because companies want to use your data for marketing purposes. Make sure the privacy settings are turned on and don’t turn them off.
3. Pay attention to your surfing habits
You probably wouldn’t be walking around a dangerous area of your city – then you should avoid doing it online either. Cybercriminals often use dubious content as bait. They know that sometimes users search for questionable content and forget every caution in the process. The Internet is full of hidden blocks that can reveal your personal data. They can also infect your device with malware with an unsuspecting click. By resisting the temptation, you will not be a target for hackers to attack.
4. Use a secure internet connection
If you browse the Internet via a public WLAN, you have no control over its security. Corporate security experts say that there are “endpoints”. These are the points from where a connection develops between the private network and the outside world.
Your most vulnerable endpoint is the local Internet connection. Make sure the connection is secure. When in doubt, postpone entering personal information, such as your account number, at a later time when you can access a secure WLAN.
5. Carefully select downloads
The ultimate goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware, i.e. programs designed to contain malicious code or steal information. This malware can disguise it as an app, from a popular game to a traffic or weather app. It is advised not to download any apps that look suspicious or come from an untrustworthy site.
6. Use strong passwords
Passwords are one of the greatest weak points in the entire security structure of the Internet. Unfortunately, there is still no way around them. And the problem of passwords is compounded by the fact that users are more likely to resort to ones they can easily remember, such as “PasswordÄ. Such passwords are easy to guess even for cyber thieves. Instead, choose strong passwords that are difficult for cybercriminals to crack. Password management software can help you manage multiple passwords and make sure you don’t forget them. A strong password is unique, complex, at least fifteen characters long, and contains letters, numbers, and special characters.
7. Only make purchases from secure sites
Every time you buy something online, you have to provide credit card or bank account details – something every cybercriminal licks their hands on. So only provide relevant information on sites that offer secure, encrypted connections. You can identify safe pages from prefixes. If the address begins with the prefix https: instead of Http: then it is safe. Here the “s” stands for secure or “safe”. A lock symbol of lock is used to indicate a safe website in the address bar.
8. Choose your posts carefully
In the world of the internet, there is no delete button. All the comments, pictures you post online are going to stay online forever. It happens because deleting the original (e.g. from Twitter) does not delete the copies that are created by other online users. There’s no way to “take back” things you would rather not have posted. Don’t post anything online that you would not like to show any of your potential employers.
9. Be careful with online acquaintances
Online acquaintances aren’t always who they say they are. Sometimes the person in question doesn’t actually exist. As it is reported, fake social media profiles are a popular way for hackers to connect with unsuspecting internet users and rob them of their money. This is why you should be just as careful in your online social life as you are in the real world.
10. Try to keep your antivirus software up to date
It is important to keep your antivirus software updated while surfing. You cannot avoid all of them but can try to protect them from most of them.
Internet security software can’t protect you from every threat, but it can detect and remove most malware – but only if the product is up to date. Always install the latest updates for the operating system and applications used as quickly as possible. They offer an essential level of protection.
Follow these 10 basic internet safety rules to avoid nasty surprises that only lurk online for careless users.
