Ten Tips & Tricks for a Safer Internet

An unsecured internet connection can not only lead to annoying spam emails, but also to data theft and internet fraud. It is therefore extremely important that a secure password is chosen for a Wi-Fi connection, which should consist of a combination of upper and lower case letters, as well as numbers and special characters. Birthdays and names are easy for hackers to crack, whereas complex passwords are generally much more secure — they should be noted down if necessary and kept in a safe place.

Besides a secure password, there are other important tips and tricks for security on the internet that every user should really pay attention to.

1. Passwords should NOT be saved in the browser, as it can have vulnerabilities. Anyone who saves their login credentials in the internet browser runs the risk of having their personal data stolen by cybercriminals and sold for profit.

2. It is advisable to disable advertisements or pop-ups. With an ad blocker (Adblock), you can browse the web free of advertising, and this also prevents unintentional subscriptions to scam sites that lure their customers with promises of millions in winnings.

3. Many internet users have multiple accounts, e.g. for shopping portals or social networking communities. You should regularly check whether the data provided is truly necessary and, above all, archive financially relevant information on external storage media.

4. Anyone browsing the internet naturally depends on a good antivirus program. It does not have to be the most expensive version, as there are also free alternatives that ensure safe browsing. It is important to keep the antivirus software up to date, meaning updating it regularly.

5. Not only antivirus programs should be updated, but updates for the software in use and the operating system should also be downloaded. Malware can exploit existing security vulnerabilities to initiate unwanted or harmful functions on the computer, such as manipulating or deleting important data.

6. Unknown emails should be treated with caution, as they may not only be so-called spam emails, but could also involve internet fraud or offers for harmful programs. Anyone who does not want to delete such emails immediately for security reasons can, if in doubt, contact consumer protection services.

7. Social network sites are certainly an ideal pastime, but you should under no circumstances blindly accept all types of requests. It is necessary to first verify and question the sender. You also need to be able to weigh up which contact details may be visible and which may not. Confidential data should not be transmitted to unknown persons.

8. Many internet users entrust their data to the cloud, whether it is OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox. However, it is difficult to determine to what extent important documents and images stored in these online locations are truly secure. Anyone who wants to be on the safe side should encrypt their data before uploading it.

9. Cookies are very convenient, as they store preferences and settings among other things, but they also make it easy to spy on your own browsing habits. It is therefore advisable to regularly delete unnecessary cookies and log back into websites rather than exposing your privacy to unnecessary risk.

10. It is essential that banking transactions are only carried out over encrypted connections. The browser should therefore always display the „https://“ protocol, as well as ideally a security certificate after the URL in the browser, displayed as a padlock icon.

There are truly many protective measures for safe internet use that are easy to understand even for non-experts. It is important to always be critical and attentive, and not to click on every site without a second thought. Internet security is not just software that you install on your computer once and then forget about. To avoid any nasty surprises while browsing, it should be monitored on a regular basis.

Do you know any other tips for a safer internet and safe behaviour in the online world? Why not leave a comment...

Comments 0