Friday, May 27, 2016

A Crash Course On Protecting Yourself From Cyber Attacks

By Sarah Allen


In this day and age, more and more people are living their lives out on the internet that they are largely vulnerable to attacks from cyber criminals. From personal photographs to private financial statements, anything can be stolen if people are not careful with their online behaviors. Do not make the same mistakes that other individuals make by adhering to the advice mentioned below.

If you happen to be unfamiliar with the ins and outs of anything related to computers, then you should consider talking with a professional expert who deals with these matters. Find a tech engineer or a computer forensic expert who can simplify some key points you have to know. Listen attentively to their advice, and be sure to make notes to use afterwards as reference.

A key point to remember is to regularly change your passwords so that hackers will have difficulties in cracking your personal information. A good rule of thumb to ensure a strong password is to use a string of letters and numbers within the login information. Make sure that you keep track of such changes so you know you will not run the risk of repeating previous passwords.

Most people make the mistake of opening email messages that look dubious and therefore unexpectedly unleash a type of malware that could cause harm to their systems. Be vigilant about email usage because you never know when spammers might strike. Always filter through your inbox and delete anything else that is not listed in your official contact list.

Shopping online may be convenient for you, but you still need to beware of cyber criminals attempting to hijack your credit card information. Always bear in mind that you should never ever give away your financial details unless you know you are doing business with a respectable online store that has encrypted payment systems. Apart from that, keep your bank account info absolutely confidential.

If you love to download music and movie files online for free, then chances are you are at risk for allowing viruses to enter your computer. Free download sites are one of the primary places that malware lurks and waits until users take the bait. Do the right thing and just go to paid subscription services where they provide clean and safe downloads for people who want their multimedia fix.

Social media and instant messaging are great tools for communication, although they can also be used by cyber criminals to take advantage of others. These unsavory individuals often take on fake identities in order to scam other people into revealing secret details about their personal lives. Do not fall victim to such posers and trust only those whom you personally know.

Last but not the least, the installation of a strong and reliable antivirus program into your computer shall serve as your primary line of defense against cyber attacks. Every time you go online, this will immediately activate and detect any sign of danger when you browse through websites. This also works even when you are not online by scanning the system for any hidden viruses.

Using the internet should not mean that you can simply put yourself out there in the open and be vulnerable to attacks. As long as you heed the advice listed here, your safety will be secured. Remember to keep a sharp lookout at all times whenever you go online.




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