In today’s world, most of us use the Internet in our work and in our home lives and it has become second nature to jump online and browse for anything and everything.
Whilst we probably know that there are associated risks, it is often easy to overlook online safety – especially when we need something quickly!
Risks include getting hacked and having data or money stolen.
On a personal level, identity theft is still rife, and of course in a family situation children and teenagers are targets for all sorts of criminals.
Here are our 10 top tips for online safety:
1. Make sure ALL devices are protected. Whether you’re in the office, at home, or on the go, make sure that PCs, laptops, phones and tablets have the latest operating system and that updates are run regularly. PCs and laptops should be protected with anti-virus software.
2. Make sure MFA is set up wherever it is available. For the online accounts that you log into, set up Multi-Factor Authentication so that access doesn’t rely on a password alone. MFA means that you will be prompted for a second method of verification, which may be a code, fingerprint or facial recognition.
3. Opt for Passcodes if your provider supports them, at the very least set strong passwords. A good basis is to string together three random words, perhaps interspersed with numbers or special characters.
4. Make sure every password is different, so that if one is compromised, the risks are restricted to that one account. In particular, don’t use your email password or online banking. password, for any other applications.
5. Backup your data. There are a number of secure cloud storage places where you can backup important data, which might include personal items such as photos.
6. Use a VPN wherever possible. If you’re working away from your usual location, a Virtual Private Network can provide a secure “tunnel” back to your work environment. This removes the need to use public WiFi.
7. Make sure public WiFi is secure. If a VPN isn’t an option and you need to use public WiFi, make sure that you see the padlock symbol before you connect to it. Even then, don’t access sensitive data or online banking when using public WiFi.
8. Double check and verify links. Watch for shortened URLs, or numbers / hyphens / special characters in a URL.
9. Don’t trust free content. Free movie, music and video downloads often include pirated content and just as often this content contains viruses and malware.
10. Be cautious about what you share online. Don’t save passwords in websites and keep your social media profiles private. If you’re a parent of a youngster who uses social media, make sure you understand what they are accessing, and set parental controls. Educate them about messages from strangers online.
Make sure you share online security tips with everyone in your organisation and your family and talk to us if you have any questions. If you would like us to get in touch with you, please enter your contact details here.