4 Ways to Protect Yourself (And Your Family) Online

The internet has brought us many wonderful things. From instant answers to any question to the cutest puppy videos you’ve ever seen, there’s a lot to love about it. But, the internet has also given rise to cybercrime, and this is something you mustn’t ignore. It’s all well and good to find ways to monitor and protect your kids’ internet usage, but you cannot forget about yourself, and even the most tech-savvy people can fall victim to scams while online. This can have a disastrous effect on your and your family, so here are four ways to protect yourself.

Identify Suspicious Sources
Scams come in many shapes and sizes, and this is what makes scammers so smart. While you’re bound to receive a weird message that has abandoned proper grammar and even spelled your name wrong, there are other emails or messages you will receive that are sneakier and more sophisticated. You’ve likely experienced phone calls and dealt with it using a service specifically about phone number locator options, and phishing emails are similar to this. They will arrive in your inbox looking just like a regular message from your bank or a social media account. But, there are subtle differences that highlight this is something to be suspicious about, so be wary of any unexpected messages.

Use a Password Bank
You need a password for just about everything nowadays, and most people will use one password for everything. You can’t be expected to remember a different one for every account, can you? But, this puts you at greater risk online. If a hacker gets one password, they can access everything. You can use a password bank to manage your passwords and ensure your accounts are secure without needing to remember them all the time.

Backup Your Data
Experts recommend that you back up your data at least once a week, and some even believe that once every 24 hours is the only way forward. Some people will do this, but it’s easy to become complacent. However, this complacency can lead to you losing your precious documents and photos that you’ll never get back. Use an external SSD or hard drive to keep valuable files secure and add a password so that they’re still safe even if you misplace them.

Stay Vigilant
Internet vigilance is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family online. As someone who’s used the internet for most of their adult life, you know the types of links or buttons to avoid when browsing, but all it takes is one moment of carelessness to ruin everything. Protect your online activity with cybersecurity programs that will highlight and block dangerous sites, and leave any website that seems suspicious as soon as possible.

Safest Space
Our online spaces are a fantastic way to interact with friends, relatives, and even strangers. But there is also a sinister undercurrent that is waiting for someone to dive a little too deep. If you want to keep your and your family’s information safe online, make sure you take the proper precautions to avoid becoming a victim of hacks and scams.

XOXO