7 Steps to Securing Your Identity Online
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If you are like most people, you must have a lot of information saved on your computer, which is great, but if you fail to protect your computer properly while you’re online, your personal details could be exposed and misused by scammers. The greater your online interactions, the greater the risk of exposing your personal identity to cybercriminals.
Before we talk about the small steps you can take to protect yourself online, let’s first understand how your computer and your data could be at risk.
What are some threats to be aware of?
Computers may be attacked over the internet in various ways:
- Spyware allows criminals to spy on your computer while you use it – this includes monitoring and collecting information you are typing, including passwords and bank details.
- Ransomware gives criminals the ability to lock your computer. They will ask for a sum of money in return for unlocking it.
- A Trojan is a malware that tricks you into believing that it is a normal file, so that you will install it and give criminals remote access to your computer.
- A Virus is a destructive software that enters your computer through the internet and emails and can cause damage by deleting files and allowing criminals to steal your valuable information.
Botnets are a network of virus-infected computers that are controlled remotely by scammers for malicious activities.
What steps can you take to secure your identity online?
Data exposure and identity theft are increasing as quickly as the internet is advancing, so it is in your best interest to protect your sensitive data online. Here are 7 steps you can take to help you do that:
- Create strong passwords and use a password manager
Creating strong passwords is necessary to secure your computer. In order to validate the strength of your passwords, you may use a password checker. Some of the best password strength checkers include: NordPass, Kaspersky, and LastPass.
You can also use an electronic password manager, which allows the use of multi-factor-authentication, to generate strong passwords and hide them from view.
- Install security suites
Security suites offer tools that help prevent malicious software from compromising data on your computer. Some of the well-known security suites are Norton Antivirus, McAfee, and AVG Internet Security.
- Enable only vital browser cookies
When cookies are enabled on a website, the site tracks your browsing patterns on other websites. This information can be used by hackers, so do not enable cookies until you are absolutely sure it is necessary.
- Use a desktop firewall
Firewalls act as a filter between your computer and the internet. Unauthorized access to your computer can be prevented through the use of firewalls.
- Don’t overshare on social platforms
Don’t post your personal details on social media. This includes data like home address, banking information, credit card details, social security number, etc.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi
Malicious actors can infiltrate public Wi-Fi connections, so make it a rule to avoid public internet connections.
- Limit credit card use for online shopping
If you must pay through your credit card, make sure that the store enjoys a good reputation, and be well informed about the threats of online shopping.
