Not only it is used as a means to fulfill work purposes such as project management, social media marketing, and e-commerce, but also for entertainment purposes. Some of them include streaming HD movies, binge-watching Netflix Originals, online gaming, socializing, and many more. One of the things people might ignore in all this fluff is the set of dangers and jeopardies that could harm one’s privacy and security. The moment you connect to the internet is the moment you come closer to the dangers. If you have been unaware of these dangers and security flaws, make sure to read this article completely. You will come across security tips and how to protect your identity online. Moreover, we will also reveal some statistics to make you realize how gravely it could impact big and small enterprises. So without further wasting any time, let’s get started.
Internet Security Statistics
As much as 95% of internet security breaches are caused by human negligence or error.According to Verizon, of all those attacks 22 percent involve phishing, 45 percent involve hacking, and 17 percent involve malware.According to Cybersecurity Media, 300 billion passwords are used by machines and humans globally.According to the survey conducted by Accenture, 68 percent of business leaders admitted the increase in cybersecurity risks.In the first quarter of 2020 alone, 36 billion records were exposed.An estimated cost of a data breach is around $3.9 million across small and medium businesses.Since the eruption of the global pandemic COVID-19, the FBI reported an increase of 300 percent in cybercrimes.Approximately after every 39 seconds, there is a hacker attack.
From the above statistics, you might have understood and realized the importance of security and privacy in this connected world. Now let’s move on to some of the best internet security tips you could adopt to protect your home from vulnerabilities. You don’t have to invest heavily in any expensive software or tool. We will help you utilize available resources to ensure security.
Click with Care
Links are found here and there and everywhere online. But not every link needs to be clicked. Some of the links you click might put you at risk and your data might be exposed to hackers and scammers. One of the major sources of finding these links is the spam folder of your email. Just open your email account and take a look at the spam folder. A king of Jordan might have sent you a million dollars and asking you to click the link given in the email. Don’t even think of clicking it. Just hover your mouse over the link and on the bottom left of your browser, you will find the full form of the link. Doesn’t it look weird and different from what you click normally? Avoid any of those links and click on links sent by trusted people and brands.
Use Security Suite
Companies are investing heavily to protect the security and privacy of users. Internet service providers are no exception as they are coming forward to help internet users to protect themselves by providing free or paid security suites along with their plans. If you have not found any plan that ensures online security, you should explore Spectrum plans to avail yourself of a free security suite along with high-speed internet and cable TV. The benefit of subscribing to ISP offering free security is that you don’t need to worry about dangers and malicious activities. Moreover, it can help you save some money on subscribing to another antivirus suite or software.
Choose Strong Password and Manage Passwords with Free Tool
Most internet users are too lazy to choose a strong password. They don’t bother to think of another password and pick the same old that is used on other accounts as well. Weak and repeated passwords are vulnerable to security threats and can easily be cracked by hackers. If you want to keep hackers away, you have to keep a strong password. Strong passwords are those that contain a mixture of numbers, special characters, lower and upper cases. The ideal password length is around 8 to 12 characters. However, if you choose a longer password, you are safer than ever. Using the same password twice can prove to be a serious threat to security. As a general rule, the password should contain upper and lower cases along with the number and special characters. But don’t use any of the symbols including &, #, @, and _. If you opt to choose easy to remember password containing your name, dog’s name, address, phone number, or your child’s name, the risk of hacking gets higher. Don’t use the same password on different accounts. If you have trouble remembering the password, you can use free password management tools such as LastPass. However, to unlock other features, get a membership for as low as $2 per month.
Use Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Connecting to the internet on the go is our daily routine. If you have mobile data, you can use it without any worries, whether it be making transactions online or accessing your email account. However, if you are not using mobile data and highly depend on public WIFI, you need to make sure to install Virtual Private Network (VPN) on your device. The benefit of using a VPN on your device is that hackers are unable to crack your IP address. Whenever you want to use public Wi-Fi, don’t forget to turn on the VPN, especially when making transactions or accessing private documents.
Backup your Data
In this digital era, you never know when you are being attacked or your data is being stolen. Do not forget to backup your data regularly after a week or fortnight. Especially if you are working at the enterprise level that can contain highly sensitive information including financial details and other trade secrets.
