February 6th was Safer Internet Day. During this day, which was celebrated in many countries at the same time, an attempt was made to make people aware of the importance of creating good habits for safe Internet surfing. The main objective of this campaign, whose initiative comes from the INSAFE/INHOPE network, is to protect the youngest against the dangers of the network. Held on the second day of the second week of the second month of the year, Safer Internet Day 2018 falls under the slogan "Create, Connect and Share Respect: A Better Internet Begins with You". In Blau Communication we wanted to join the celebrations yesterday and therefore we have made a compilation of the best tips for safe surfing the Internet.
1. Make sure before you buy on the Internet
Today, many of the purchases we make are through the Internet. It is a fast and convenient method that allows you to get good prices, compare and buy quickly. However, when we are going to buy products online, we must take into account some recommendations for safe surfing the Internet. When you buy online you must make sure that you are on the right page and that the address starts with https. It is also important to review the so-called privacy policies of each website. In addition, it is always more convenient to use Paypal accounts or another alternative such as prepaid cards to protect bank details in this way. And, of course, don't trust any page or any vendor.
.
security tips online shopping
When making online purchases you should make sure that the website is secure and trustworthy, but also that the seller has good references from other users.
.
2. Get a good antivirus
It doesn't matter what your operating system or the device you're accessing from. When surfing the Internet it is very important to make sure you have a safe and up-to-date antivirus. With a good antivirus you will prevent malware from entering your devices, both computers and mobile phones or tablets. This way, you will be able to avoid changes or actions on your behalf, as well as having information stolen or your devices compromised. Remember that not only are you protecting your online identity, but everyone in your home or work.
.
3. Don't trust public networks
As we already know, when we are away from home we use all the nets within our reach. The WiFi network of bars, shops and public areas calls us with the promise to save our limited data rate usage. However, we don't usually think about the security of any of these networks and we need to raise a lot of awareness about it or use a pirate bay proxy
Make sure the WiFi network you are connecting to is secure. If you are not sure whether it is or not, it is better not to access applications or pages that contain your personal data. Our advice, beware of passwords or bank details when you are connected to public networks. Although many of them have their own security, in others the information packages they contain are easy prey for hackers or cybercriminals. Avoid entering such applications when you are connected to an unsecured network.
.
4. Caution with Received Emails and Suspicious Links
It is very common that in our inbox we find emails from unknown senders. Many of them have attention-grabbing issues. Others even adapt to our tastes and preferences. Be that as it may, don't trust them. Never click on links or attachments of unknown messages. It is also not advisable to respond to these emails, as we would be providing personal data, such as our email address, for example. On the other hand, it is increasingly understood a practice in which some pages, especially to view audiovisual content or download some kind of file, confuse you to click on certain links or redirect you directly to it. We can find it surfing, in the email or even in social networks. We must be very careful with this practice since it could be a computer virus that tries to appropriate your network accounts, get your personal data or take over your computer systems. The most correct thing in this case is to abandon certain websites that impose these actions on us and ignore the links that have dubious provenance.
.
5. Watch out for the well-known "internet of things".
Although we don't realize it, there are more and more digital and computer things in our lives. This is known as the internet of things, a concept that talks about the interconnection of everyday objects with the human being through the network. Kitchen robots that inform you of recipes, watches that analyze your dreams and physical activity or clothes that monitor your body heat. These are some examples of the contributions that these instruments can have in our lives. The interconnection between household and everyday appliances can have dangers that can be easily avoided. However, it is advisable to keep all of these objects up to date, not only for the sake of their longevity, but also for your safety. The fact that these daily tools can transmit personal information in real time can be the target of computer attacks. Changing user names and passwords frequently can also help prevent data theft.
.
6. Anticipate computer attacks
Browser-based attacks mostly occur using JavaScript. Developers use this code to make websites more dynamic, but sometimes it can cause problems. To prevent all this, the most useful thing is to deactivate Javascript, which is possible through pluggins or browser extensions, and activate it only when we are 100% sure that the site is trustworthy.
.
7. Increase the security of your passwords
At the end of the day we access dozens of platforms, networks and places that require the use of passwords. It is vital that passwords are strong and secure to prevent theft of personal data and accounts. We must move away from the use of easily accessible data such as birthday or serial numbers. The use of capital letters, numbers or symbols is recommended. In addition, you should change them frequently. To make sure of this it is convenient to manage them from a single site. There are currently password managers that help you do this. In this way, with a single memorized password, you will have access to all your credentials, something very useful especially for companies, which make use of many more sites where registration is required. It is vitally important to create secure passwords, which do not contain personal data and which combine symbols, letters and numbers.
.
8. Do not give information about your geolocation
Geolocation makes it possible to obtain the physical situation of an object at a given moment. Smartphones, permanently connected to the Internet, allow us to geolocate whenever we give permission. This general a major danger, since publishing our position on social networks or on the Internet can be a gift for a cybercriminal. Why? Because it can know exactly where you or your loved ones are at every moment of the day. It is important to be aware of the dangers of indicating your geographical location through social networks. We must monitor the geolocation of our smartphone, as well as the publication of images. Whether or not we accept the publication of our location, if we have geolocation activated in the device that takes the photograph, there remains a digital trace that is hardly hidden and that marks where and when it has been taken. In other words, if hackers want to find out your position, they will. It is better to prevent and avoid the publication of the situation through photographs, and more when it comes to trips to other countries or cities.
.
9. Beware of public computers
A common mistake is to forget to log out of our accounts when accessing public computers. Therefore, it is highly recommended to enable double verification on platforms that allow it. This adds an additional layer of personality verification that increases the security of your accounts. On the other hand, we must take care of the connection to some applications and servers when we are in public computers: email or Google Drive servers, where not only information is transferred but also images, positioning, history, and so on. Keep in mind that all this information can be stored on the computer, allowing access to it for anyone who connects later. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use the browser incognito when accessing computers or devices for public use.
.
10. Have a head when using social networks
Something basic when surfing the Internet safely is to have a head when using social networks. Be very careful when publishing data about where you are, with whom or for how long. And, of course, never give out personal information, even in the form of photos, about bank accounts, passwords or compromising data (like your children's school, for example). A good education must also focus on the correct use of new information technologies.
.
And, of course, educate your children in the respect of technology.
Nowadays it is common that from a very young age they already have mobile phones, tablets and computers. The vast majority as distraction, entertainment and / or toy. On the one hand it is very good because they acquire skill with these tools. However, they do not feel any fear or respect towards the net, which can be dangerous. The use of the internet is something that needs to be taken care of and our identity more, so we need to educate our children to surf the internet safely with an awareness of this. Both they and we must be clear that everything that is said on social networks is public. Everything leaves its mark.
