Many of us browse the web every single day, but the majority of people that do so won’t be aware of just how exposed they are online. Every day millions of people will log on to the internet without knowing how much data they’re giving away to anyone who wants to take it. Luckily for us, hackers are relatively rare on the internet, but it only takes one to find us and steal our personal data to have a devastating effect. Follow these helpful tips if you want to know more about how to protect yourself while online.
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Use Strong and Unique Passwords
While it’s a lot more convenient just to use “password123” for all our accounts, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to an attack by not using a strong and unique password. All it takes is for someone to guess that password on one of your accounts, and they’ll be able to access everything. It’s the equivalent of locking every room in your house but using the same key for each lock! If a burglar gets access to one key, they can access every room in the house. The same applies to your passwords; you need to protect each account with a different password. Otherwise, the concept of having a password is useless. It’s also essential to make sure that the passwords are strong. Most people still make bad password choices, even with all the information about cyber security. Your password should be at least eight characters long and have an upper case letter, lowercase letter, a number, and a special character to be secure.
Use a VPN
A VPN, or a Virtual Private Network, keeps your data secure while online. When you browse the web, your ISP logs all the information about where you go and what you do, which it can then sell to third parties. Also, your data could be vulnerable to hackers, particularly if you often browse on open wireless networks, like the ones you’d find in a coffee shop or a cafe. By using a VPN, your internet connection is tunnelled through various servers using an encrypted connection, which means that your data cannot be traced, and any information sent over this connection cannot be hacked. It’s also great for accessing things in restricted locations, such as streaming services offering different shows, online stores offering different products, or online casinos that cannot be accessed in certain jurisdictions. If you live in a restricted area, such as the Middle East, you need to use a VPN to access online casinos; otherwise, they will be blocked by your ISP. By using a VPN, you can also access some of the best online casinos that have a range of banking options, including Visa. Many people prefer to play at casinos that offer Visa as they provide instant transactions, are easy to use, and often have little to no fees. They also offer great bonuses for new customers, such as a £300 bonus + 150 free spins. You’ll find that online casinos that accept Visa are widespread, so check the license, gaming options, and mobile compatibility to find the best sites. If you use a VPN while playing, your data will be even more secure.
Block Search Engine Tracking
One of the biggest threats to our personal data comes from the very tool that we use on a daily basis – the search engine. For most of us, that search engine will be Google, but Bing is also a strong competitor in the field that gets its share of information. Besides that, Google and Bing operate two of the most popular web browsers (Chrome and Edge, respectively), so they’re getting a lot of data from us, including biometric data. The good news is, there’s something you can do about it. While you can’t fully eliminate tracking, you can reduce it by not accepting cookies, routinely deleting your data, and disabling unnecessary browser extensions. However, the best way to stop your search engine or web browser from tracking your data is to switch to a privacy-focused search engine, such as DuckDuckGo.
