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In a world with increasing cases of privacy violations online and countless scams, the need to be safe and protect yourself from harmful elements has never been greater. While making use of an antivirus software helps matters quite a bit, this alone is not sufficient to completely protect yourself.
There are precautions that you can take to ensure that your activity online is safe and your system won't fall prey to viruses or other online infections. A few of these tips have been mentioned here online.
Using a spam filter to catch phishing emails
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There is often a good number of emails in your inbox from people or organization you have no knowledge of. There are often times, quite a number of us are left wondering exactly how they got their hands on our email addresses. Unfortunately, it's not that easy to stop people from sending you emails once they get a hand on your email id through a database you might have accidentally added your email ID to. Phishing emails usually have emails that look very official and often include links to spoof websites that aim to trick into adding your personal details. In addition to not opening attachments from unrecognized email accounts, you can also employ a spam filter in order to keep dangerous elements away.
Encrypted Email
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Your Gmail or Outlook account is secured by your username, password, maybe a two-factor authentication and an HTTPS connection. This is not enough today to keep you safe. The fact that Gmail chooses the adverts to show you based on what they learn from your inbox is enough of a red flag. Using an encrypted email service like ProtonMail or Disroot can keep you pretty safe.
Stick to trusted browsers and extensions
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Using a browser that receives regular updates is a great way to ensure your safety online. Mozilla Firefox is a great option. Despite privacy concerns, Google Chrome is also a great option.
In addition to browsers, there is also a wide array of add-ons or extensions that you can choose from, before you install an extension or add-on, check the authenticity of whatever you are installing to.
Pay attention to the links that you click
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One of the primary things that you need to use as a mantra when you go online is not clicking unfamiliar links. While it is included in plenty of security suites, there are link checker sites and extensions available online that can verify links that you receive or come across.
Proxy Servers and VPN
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If you want to protect your identity online, using a proxy server or a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
A proxy server allows you to do research that is sensitive, prevent profiling, and give you access to restricted information. You will also have the option of engaging in anonymous messaging if you need it.
A VPN will protect your online activity from outside observers. You can make use of services like ExpressVPN, HotSpot Shield, and CyberGhost.
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