The Internet is both a wonderful place and a potentially dangerous world. Beyond containing so much information and websites that help us in our daily lives, it also has many scammers, scammers, dangerous programs (such as viruses, malware, spyware, adware, etc.) that can steal your personal information (for identity theft by scammers .) or you may end up wiping your hard drive and costing hundreds of dollars to repair your system. In the following paragraphs are some tips that can help you protect yourself and your computer from the dangers that exist online.
- Internet security and antivirus software: This type of software is specially designed to protect your computer system, your personal information, and yourself while you are online. Antivirus software falls into two main categories, free versions or annual subscription services. The main difference between the two is the functionality and the online database. Annual subscription services update their virus databases more frequently, giving you a higher level of protection. Additionally, subscription services also offer a higher level of user support, as the free versions have nothing available in case your system runs into trouble. Antivirus software can often come in Internet security packages. These contain everything you need to feel safe online, not just from viruses. The programs come with firewalls, backup software, identity theft and personal information protection applications, and other services depending on the company or product. If you choose a free antivirus program, you will also have to download and install separate programs for adware, such as a firewall service, etc.
- Backup of your computer system and files: This is the best way to keep all your information safe and secure. Computers are not perfect and will have problems over time. Backing up your files and documents regularly (recommended about once a week) will keep all your valuable information safe. There are many different types of backup software available, from free software to paid versions. For your home computer, a free program is perfect and will do everything you need. The options available to back up your files have grown with computers. An external hard drive is highly recommended due to the size and speed that it is capable of. For those who don’t have access to this, blank DVDs and CDs help, however for large amounts of data they can be quite a hassle due to the number of discs you’ll need. Also, some companies offer an online backup service, with the option to purchase more data storage if you need it.
- Passwords and Security: Passwords are often the only way to access your personal information, and the type of password you use can determine how secure your information is (such as banking, email, social media profiles, etc.). Many sites will let you know how strong your password is and will also recommend what to put in your password. A mixture of lower and upper case letters, the use of numbers, avoiding birth dates or other easily known numbers, and the use of secret questions that are difficult to guess are recommended.