Computer security is at your fingertips and chances are you are vulnerable to cyber threats lurking in the dark every time you switch on your computer. This makes it critical for you to be aware of good computer security habits to ensure you are safe every time you go digital. Today’s post will help you 7 good computer security habits to practice daily and stay guard from cyber criminals ready to attack you anytime! When it comes to daily good computer security habits, keep the following in mind-
1. Links and attachments
If you come across a suspicious link or an attachment, think twice before you click to open it. Cyber criminals use them to infiltrate into your system and compromise your computer. Even if you still have doubts, you should always contact the person or the company who sent you them before you click them open.
2. Do not release private information
Verify first before you render any sort of private information via email or on a website. Make sure you verify the security of site before you share any sort of personal information on the Internet.
3. Passwords should be unique
Think about a long password. You can use the last book you read or the headlines of a news caption or any other phrase that is simple for you to remember. Once you have done this add special characters and capitalization to make the password unique. This keeps cyber criminals from hacking into your system.
4. Protect devices
Make sure your devices are protected. You can lock them up or even take them away with you when you travel. Ensure all your mobile devices are password protected. When you are working in a public place secure your device by locking the computer screen even if you need to walk away for one second.
5. Updates are crucial
Never miss an update when it comes to your devices, browsers, apps and software platforms. Turn on automatic updates on your security settings so that you do not forget about them. At the same time, ensure that you set your security software to carry out automatic scans at regular intervals.
6. Embrace a good VPN
When you are using public wi-fi, ensure you choose a quality and good virtual private network or VPN to work. In case, you do not use a VPN, you risk cyber criminals seeing everything you send across on the Internet.
7. Secure sensitive data with encryption
When you are working with computers, you must ensure that critical data does not fall into malicious hands. This is why data encryption is crucial. In case, a cybercriminal gets hold of the data it no longer will be of any use to him/her as it is encrypted. One of the best security practices you can embrace is to encrypt the data that is at rest in the database (where it is stored) and the data in transit where the sender gets and receives data, for instance an email.
Last but not the least, always remember everyone, especially in the post-pandemic era are leading digital and internet-connected lives from the office or home all the time. It is vital for you to be responsible and secure your part of cyberspace including the networks you use and the devices you work with. Our individual actions will create a collective impact on how we use the Internet and keep everyone else safe as well!
