Online Security can seem a little daunting however there are certain things you can do to avoid security issues whilst using the Internet.  Here is our quick rundown on the top 10:

1.       Education
Learn about scams on the Internet.  There are tons of articles available that can bring you quickly up to speed on the latest security threats and scams.  Also you could sign up for newsletters from websites such as Symantec as they will proactively send you updates on the latest and most vicious scams out there on a regular basis.

2.       Think before you click!
Most scams and Internet security issues are derived from you inadvertently saying “yes” to downloading something.  If it looks too good to be true, don’t click it.  A common scam is where a message will appear on a web page that looks like your computer telling you it has detected a threat – it hasn’t, so don’t click it!

3.       Practice safe shopping
One top tip is to have a separate bank account for all of your online purchases.  I transfer the money I need into that account and use it just for online purchases.  Another way to shop safely is to be cautious of buying from websites you have never seen before.  Check them out on the Internet before you buy as they could be a scam website that will take your money and not send you the items!

4.       Use a Firewall
Your Windows PC will come installed with a Firewall, but make sure it is turned on.  Also if you have anti-virus software this may also have a Firewall.  Just check all of the settings and make sure it’s working OK.  Windows will tell you if your Firewall is off, but double checking will always secure up your PC further.

5.       Anti-Virus Software
This might sound obvious but you will be surprised at how many people don’t have anti-virus – make sure you have it installed and it’s up to date.  Run regular security scans to check that your system is clean from any bugs and potential issues.

6.       Secure Wireless Networks
We all have laptops and tablets nowadays that connect to your home network wirelessly.  Ensure that your router asks you for a security key when you first connect to it.  If it doesn’t, go through your manual to find out how to turn this feature on.  If you still struggle contact a local IT company to help. This is one of the biggest security threats you can secure against.  If you use other wi-fi hotspots make sure they are secure as well.  If not, just use them for browsing and not anything where you may be sending secure data through e.g. banking. 

7.       Strong Passwords
You will be surprised just how unsecure your passwords are.  Your date of birth or a friend’s birthday are common ones.  You should be using a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters and numbers.  Stronger passwords also use characters such as #, @ and *.  The longer the password and with a greater combination of letters and numbers are a great way to secure your password.

8.       Common Sense
The majority of successful Internet scams run of the back of people not using common sense.  As mentioned before, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!  Try and use a little common sense when surfing the web and look out for links and popups that could be harmful to your PC. 

9.       Backup your data
Regularly take backups of your data.  If you can store this online, that’s even better as then it’s not held in one location that can be accessed securely by you from any location.  Having a regular backup strategy will ensure that your personal information is kept safe and can be recovered if anything does go wrong.

10.   Off-Line Records
Finally, I wanted to cover off-line data.  You will be surprised to know that a large number of scams are successful as people get hold of your paper bills, credit card statements and other security sensitive information from your bins!  They can use this to compile a profile about you and then use this to gain access to your email, online banking, online shopping accounts that store your credit card details and much more.  You should destroy all paper records before throwing them in the bin.  Use a Cross Cut Shredder (not a cheap one!) or even better burn the information on a fire – it may sound like I’m scaremongering here, but this is really simple to safeguard against and is very common nowadays.

A lot of the tips are targeted for you to use at home.  However these are also applicable to your work environment.  If you would like any further help, advice or even just a free chat about your online security why not call D2NA and we will gladly help.