Hackers are a growing threat to information safety. The Internet Crime Complaint Center received almost eight hundred thousand hacking complaints in 2020.
As hackers get smarter, you must get smarter too. More personal information is stored online than ever before, making this security threat all the more dangerous.
If you keep a lot of personal information on your phone or computer, you must follow appropriate security protocols. In this day and age, most people do.
Keep reading, and we’ll tell you all about some of the most important security measures you should take online.
Password Variety
You’ve probably heard this advice before: don’t use the same password for everything. However, you might not be aware of just how important this advice is.
Sure, it is a pain to use different passwords for every account you have. However, there are easy ways to keep track of them all.
Consider using a mobile app that is protected by your thumbprint to store all your passwords. That way, you don’t use the same password for everything, and you can still easily find them all in a secure place.
SSL Certificates
When you are conducting online transactions, SSL certificates are important. SSL certificates allow you to complete an online transaction securely.
To follow this secure file transfer protocol, you don’t have to do much. All you have to do is make sure you’re using a secure website.
You can tell a website has an SSL certificate by looking at the URL. If there is a padlock symbol next to it and it begins with “https,” you are in the clear.
It’s important to make sure you conduct transactions on websites that are taking proper safety measures. You don’t want your credit card information to be vulnerable to hackers.
Secure Networks
Another internet protocol for security is using a secure WiFi network. The WiFi network you use at home is probably secure. If it’s password-protected, you’re safe.
However, if you use a WiFi hotspot, you might not be secure. This is also true of “Guest” WiFi networks in businesses like restaurants or coffee shops.
If a network does not require a password, or if it is a hotspot, it is probably not as secure as it could be.
It is fine to use these networks for some things, but do not use them to conduct transactions or enter important personal information like your social security number.
Protect Your Information
These days, it is very common for browsers to save your account information. They might save your login information for certain sites or even your credit card number.
While this feature can be convenient, it is not very safe. Your browser should ask for permission before saving any usernames or passwords. If your browser asks to do this, say no.
Instead, store your information in a secure mobile app that can only be accessed with your thumbprint or a special pin.
Safety precautions should always take priority over convenience.
Use Security Protocols Today
Now you know more about which easy security protocols you can follow to protect your data. Congratulations! You are now browsing more safely.
Start protecting your information from hackers as soon as possible. You won’t regret it. For more technology tips, check out the rest of our blog!
