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Going online is something we all take for granted in 2023. But if you’re not careful, your innocent shopping or streaming can lead to you being affected by cybercrime.
2022 statistics from TechHQ found that there are 28 million data breaches recorded each year in the UK. And identity theft costs us around £4 billion per year. Numbers are surging too. CIFAS figures found that online fraud was increasing in 2021 as the economy recovered from Covid.
To stop yourself from becoming part of these sobering statistics, it’s important to put the right measures in place. In this guide, learn how to ensure your safety when browsing online.
Limit your personal info online
The less personal information about you there is floating around social media and online, the better. Don’t post pointlessly and often. When you do, double-check that what you are saying isn’t giving away personal information. And consider going through old posts and profiles to tidy up and remove content you no longer want online.
Get the right protection
It’s important that you get software onto your devices that protect them from hacking and malware. A virtual private network is an obvious choice. VPNs provide malware protection that stops bad actors from accessing your data. So, whether you’ve been affected by trojans, keyloggers, ransomware, or otherwise, they’re a good option.
Check links properly
It’s quite easy to click or tab links to new URLs without thinking about it. But accessing the internet this way means that you could be unwittingly opening links that are fake. These links could head to pages that host malware that can steal your data. As such, you need to check the link before you click.
To do this, hover over the link with your cursor before you click. And think about where the link is being hosted. Is the site legitimate?
Create strong passwords
ABC123 might be an easy password to remember. But it’s also very quick for a hacker to break. As such, when you’re creating passwords, make sure you the ones you’re creating are complex. That could mean using a random password generator. Or simply choosing a long string of characters and numbers that can’t easily be guessed. Whichever option you choose, this will make it much more difficult for any passwords to be stolen.
How do you stay safe while browsing online? Let us know our hints, tips and tricks in the comments section below.
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