How to Reduce Risk of Using Internet [P4]

                    [P4]  How to Reduce Risk of Using Internet

Use a VPN 

VPN stands for “virtual private network,” which is just a fancy way of saying “protect my profile when I’m online.” With free wi-fi in coffee shops, hotels and airports, more and more hackers are using simple “man in the middle” attacks to trick people into logging onto their fake networks. From there, it’s easy for them to steal your information.

Using VPN services keeps you safe from these hackers when out and about, masking your online presence.

Smart Password Practices

It goes without saying that your online passwords should never be “password,” “abc123,” “admin” or anything easily guessed. If you use one password for all your online services, should a hacker breach one of your accounts, they could easily take down all of your accounts. That means your email, online bank accounts, mileage points and everything.

Minimize this risk by using different passwords for different services and changing them every six months. It might seem like a hassle, but it’s less of a hassle than having your bank account breached.

Use Secured Websites

Most web browsers such as Google Chrome will show a green icon in the URL address bar whenever you are on a website that is secured. Another indicator of security is if the website address starts with “https” vs.“http.” That little addition of the “s” means the site you are on is secured and safe to use. If you are shopping online or doing anything that requires you to provide sensitive data, make sure the website address starts with https.

Bypass Phishing Attacks

Scammers often will use emails that look like legitimate companies in the hopes of tricking you into clicking on links and providing them your password, social security number and more. These are called “phishing” attacks. The best way to avoid this is to simply bypass the email and go directly to the website by opening a browser. For example, if a bank sent you an email, don’t click on the link in the email. Instead, open a web browser and go to the bank’s website directly.