We spend a large chunk of our time online, be it for work, entertainment or social media. But there’s no way of knowing who is shady and who isn’t. By protecting yourself online and making sure you have a few checks in place, it should help you navigate the online world safely.
Here are some basic tips to stay safe online:
Be aware of what you post online
Never share personal information about yourself online because cybercriminals have gotten sophisticated and use social engineering tactics to trick consumers into giving up information. Don’t share personal information like an address, ID, passport and phone numbers. Information like this can also be used to open fraudulent accounts under your name easily, or used for identity theft. Also don’t share your location until after you’ve left a spot, rather post them as a ‘latergram’.
Don’t click on links, even from friends via DMs
One of the golden rules on the internet is not to open attachments and links from unknown senders. Lately, this applies to friends and family, who’ve fallen victim to social media scams. If you can’t be sure, ask them via text. All phishing scams start when you click a link. If you think your bank has sent you something, rather check with them, or type the URL yourself into the browser. And if you’re paying online, make sure the site is secure via HTTPS with encryption offered by the store.
Don’t use the same login credentials
It is extremely unsafe to use the same username and password across all your apps and services. When one service compromises your details and the information gets dumped onto the dark web, it puts all your other accounts at risk. Use the site haveibeenpwned.com to see if you’ve been compromised. If you need to, change passwords using a password-generating service and use a password manager. Ensure you can access the app or site from more than one location should anything happen to your primary device. It is a lengthy admin task but worth it.
Use 2-factor authentication (2FA)
Sometimes a username and password isn’t secure enough, especially if someone you know has access to your credentials. The second layer of protection is non-negotiable and should be the default for all your accounts. Use a 2FA app like Authy, Google Authenticator, or Microsoft Authenticator for apps and services like email, social media, etc.
Use a VPN
If you tend to use public WiFi networks, one of the most important ways to protect yourself is with a VPN, even if you innocently go to a coffee shop with your laptop during load shedding. All the information you send a receive over a public network could be intercepted by hackers, and this poses a problem if you do things like internet banking or online shopping from these locations. A VPN will ensure your internet traffic is encrypted, and cannot be intercepted.
Click here for more tips on how to avoid falling victim to digital fraud.
