An increase in cyber-attacks and identity theft make the Internet seem like ascary place these days.
The hacking of Sony Pictures led the news for some time. The U.S. StateDepartment public email system was shut down. Even the White House was a target of cyber-attack.
Last week, there were reports of a billion dollar theft from European banks andsecret viruses on millions of computer systems across Russia, China, India,Iran and elsewhere. This raises a question:
How can individuals protect or make it more difficult for hackers to accesstheir information?
Here are nine tips that can help you protect against cyber-attacks:
1. Make your password harder to hack
Hard passwords include upper and lower case letters, numbers and specialcharacters. They should be at least eight characters in length. They shouldalso not spell out words easy for hackers to find, like your pet’s name or thename of a family member.
2. Change your password regularly
A very common mistake made by users is to create one hard password, butthen never change it. Remembering a long list of complicated passwords canbe difficult. But no password is unbreakable. Hackers are better able hackmultiple accounts if those accounts all have the same password. A passwordmanagement service, like Dashlane or PasswordBox, can help you keeptrack of hard passwords. These services permit users to easily store andsecure their passwords.
3. Clear your browser history
This goes for all the devices you use in a day – your home computer, yourwork computer, or your friend’s iPad. Internet browsers like Firefox or Chromekeep track of where you’ve been and what you’ve done online. They keeprecords of every site you visited. Information about what you sent from orsaved on your computer can be kept for days or weeks. It is very easy foranyone who sees that information to steal a detailed record of your onlineactivities.
4. Do not use free Wi-Fi
An increasing number of public places now offer free wireless access to theInternet. Often, a user does not need a password to connect to these wirelessnetworks. These services might be useful, but they’re also an easy way forhackers to access everything on your device. Unless you really need it, it isbest not to use it.
5. Use HTTPS
HTTPS is officially known as “hyper-text transfer protocol secure.” It is similarto HTTP, which is used to enter Internet addresses. HTTPS adds an extralayer of security and encryption while online. Communications betweenusers and sites that support HTTPS are encrypted. The information is alsoauthenticated. That means that HTTPS can determine whether or not awebsite is real.
6. Watch what you click
One of the most popular and successful ways hackers infect your computeris through a technique called phishing. Phishing occurs when someoneopens an email attachment that looks real. But the attachment is actually avirus that immediately infects the user’s computer. If someone sends you afile or a website you did not ask for, it is best to not click on it.
7. Try not to use public computers
For many people, not using a public computer can be difficult. Those without acomputer or Internet access at home often use Internet cafes to get online.However, the more different people use a computer, the more likely a virushas infected it.
8. Use anti-virus protection
There are many anti-virus services available for users. They can offer manydifferent types of computer protection. Some anti-virus services are evenfree. They are a great way to have a professional help keep users one stepahead of hackers.
9. Be careful while using thumb drive
Thumb drives, also known as flash drives, are small and easy storagedevices to use across different computers. They are a popular device thatpeople use to exchange files and documents. They can also spread viruseseasily across computers and networks.
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