Online safety and privacy is becoming more and more important, and it’s not just an issue for companies that are at risk of hacking and cybercrime. In fact, anybody who uses the internet on a regular basis needs to become more aware of their privacy, even when you only go online for personal reasons like shopping and social media. There are several ways that a hacker could end up getting access to your sensitive and personal information, for example, if you don’t set strong passwords for the online services that you use like online banking and shopping accounts where your card details are saved. Here are some of the main things that you can do to keep yourself safe online.

Verify Email Senders:

Phishing attacks are a common online scam and if you fall victim to one, you could end up giving away information like your online banking login credentials which can lead to serious trouble. Phishing scams are often sent in the form of emails that appear to be from a person or company that you trust, asking you to follow a link to login or provide information in a reply. However, think before you do this – is the email actually from the source it appears to be from? You can use Nuwber to search for email addresses and find out who is really behind them.

Use Strong Passwords:

It can be all too easy to come up with passwords that are easy for us to remember but the truth is that if you can remember a password, it’s probably just as easy for somebody to guess. Today, it’s never been more important to use strong and unique passwords since hackers have sophisticated software that will work through all the possible options checking hundreds of password ideas per second to find yours. The more unique the password is, the longer it will take them to find it – meaning that you’ve got the chance to change your password and improve your security before somebody gets access to your account.

Use a VPN in Public:

Public Wi-Fi can be a convenient way to get online when you are in a shopping mall, airport, coffee shop or other public location. It’s often free and enables you to connect your device so that you can get on with working or keeping in touch with friends. However, public Wi-Fi is also not very secure, and can be one of the main ways that hackers will find their way into your device and steal your personal information. For your peace of mind, it is always worth using a VPN to connect whenever you are using publicly available Wi-Fi services.

Password Protect Your Devices:

Finally, bear in mind that not all hackers and cybercriminals are going to get your information through the back door online. In some cases, all they might need is access to your device to get the information that they need for nefarious purposes. If you do not have a passcode or another security measure on your devices, you are putting yourself at risk, especially if your device is lost or stolen, where there will be no additional layer of security available to prevent anybody from getting into it and reading or copying your private information. Always use a password or passcode and use more secure measures like biometrics wherever they are available.