Today, most of us take our online safety for granted – but the truth is that you might be much closer to getting hacked than you might realize. Online safety is something that we tend to rely on antivirus programs and firewalls for in our personal lives, but the truth is that these don’t protect us against everything and it’s hugely important to remain vigilant. In our daily lives, there are several things that we might do that put our online safety at risk without realizing it. Here are some common things that people do that can compromise their online safety.
Answering Every Email:
You get an email that appears to be from somebody that you trust and they’re asking for information. You trust the sender, so you freely offer the information to you. But the problem here is that the person who sent that email wasn’t who you thought it was. Phishing scams are becoming more and more common and they often appear to be messages from trusted and often reputable senders like your bank. Firstly, it’s important to understand which senders wouldn’t ask you to disclose personal in an email. If you receive an email from your bank asking you to provide your online banking login, that’s most likely a scam. Always verify the sender before you reply. You can do this by searching the sender’s email address at Nuwber.
Using the Same Passwords:
Most people are not very creative when it comes to their passwords. And creating strong passwords can be a tricky one since you need to be able to remember them easily, but they should also be difficult to guess. One common trick that people use is changing their password slightly for each account, such as spelling it backward or adding different numbers to the end, but the fact is that hackers know what you are up to. And once they have cracked one of your passwords, it’s not going to be very difficult for them to get the rest. Using a good password manager that generates truly random passwords and saves them for you is the best way forward.
Not Updating Antivirus Software:
Antivirus software acts as the first line of defense against hackers and cybercriminals. But the truth is that if you don’t keep your antivirus software up to date, you may as well not be using it. Hackers are always coming up with new and more sophisticated ways to get around the latest antivirus updates, which is why there are fresh versions constantly being released. If your antivirus software program requires an update, it could be due to cybercriminals finding a way in. So, don’t leave yourself exposed, and make sure that your antivirus software is set to update automatically as soon as it’s needed.
Not Protecting Devices:
You might think that since nobody else uses your device, there’s not really much point in having a password on it. However, if you use your device to access online banking, work accounts, online shopping accounts where your cards are saved, or even social media, it could be disastrous for it to end up in the wrong hands. Without a password on your device, you’re giving away all that data to anybody who finds or steals it. Even if you never share your devices with anybody else, it’s important to make sure that they are password-protected.
