It’s important that you’re protecting your privacy and safety online. There are a lot more dangers out there currently and it’s easy to become another victim of cyber criminals, especially if you’re not switched on with the latest methods used.
Whether you could benefit from this information yourself or you could pass it on to those who are likely more vulnerable when browsing the internet, here are some tips to protect your privacy and safety online.
Change your IP address
Firstly, take a look at your IP address and the effectiveness of changing it. It’s something that can be easily done like this guide on how to change IP address Windows 10. What are the benefits when it comes to changing your IP address?
Changing your IP address effectively hides your geolocation – that’s where you’re currently operating your device from. That means you can hide yourself from online hackers. It also means that any websites that use data tracking, won’t be able to trace you.
This is useful for those who would rather not be monitored by sites they browse on the internet and that includes potential scammers. It means your internet activity stays private, which is a rarity in this day and age.
Use a VPN
Another useful option to consider is using a VPN. This is a private network in which your devices are linked to. This costs money to implement but it’s a small charge for the benefit of added security and privacy to your internet browsing.
A few benefits of investing in a VPN for your home’s internet network include:
- Access to certain locations for regional sports and other entertainment
- Escape data-throttling and bandwidth-throttling
- Hides your private information
- Avoids censorship when travelling abroad
Again, the cost of installing a VPN is minimal and there are a lot of service providers who offer this option. It’s worth taking a look at the benefits further and seeing if this is the right fit for you and your household.
Implement Strong Security Applications and Software
In order to protect your networks, it’s useful to find strong security applications or software that you can purchase for your devices. There are plenty of softwares that will cover multiple devices, which is common amongst households nowadays. You’re more than likely to have multiple devices, all of which will require protection from online scammers.
It’s worth doing some comparisons on what’s available in your country and what it means when it comes to overall costs. Most operate on a subscription basis, which means you’ll spend so much per month or a set price that renews each year.
Make sure that you’re checking on these software applications every year to ensure they’re still providing you and your household with the best security levels possible. Sometimes, you might want to compare costs and performance to see if there’s anything better out there.
Use strong and unique passwords
It’s a common habit to do when it comes to securing your privacy and information online. With a rise in cybercrime for both individuals and businesses, no one is quite safe or impenetrable from cybercriminals. Those wanting to steal your data and sell it on the black web are the worst kind of individuals, so it’s important to do what you can to protect yourself.
Using strong and unique passwords is the best way of protecting your information. If you struggle often to think and remember passwords that are strong enough, then you could always get yourself a password software. This is where all your passwords are kept under a browser add-on.
This type of software means you only need to remember the one password and the software will remember all the other passwords for you!
Keep Distribution of your Confidential Information Limited
Distribution of your confidential information should be kept limited. With that being said, be aware of where you’re giving your information and how much of that information is confidential. Ideally, you want to keep it limited in order to make you less of an obvious target for cybercriminals online.
It’s also important to pick the sites you store information on carefully. Not all of the websites you sign up to or exchange information will be safe.
Delete Any Unused Apps and Accounts
Finally, be sure to delete any unused apps or accounts as this can reduce the risk of falling for scammers or data theft. Delete any unused apps on your phone and accounts that you no longer use.
Hopefully, with these tips, you can protect yourself and your information online when browsing in 2023.