Protecting Our Data and Privacy As we continue to rely on the Internet for everyday activities such as sending or receiving money through online banking, purchasing goods and services, or using personal information to communicate with friends and family on social media, the risk of cyber-attacks is growing and becoming significant.
Whether you are a regular internet user or a techie, it is more important than ever that you take the right steps to ensure your online security and privacy.
There are different types of tools that you can use to protect your personal information from hackers and increase your security while using the Internet. We mention the following:
1- Antivirus software:
Antivirus software is a security tool designed to protect your device from malware. Once the antivirus is installed on your computer, it runs continuously in the background to scan for malware. If malware is detected, you will be warned and given the option to ignore, quarantine, or delete the malware.
Therefore, antivirus software is essential to keep your computer running smoothly and securely. But with so many options out there, you might be wondering how to choose the best antivirus for your device. Many factors need to be considered, such as the type of equipment you use, your budget, and the level of protection required.
2- Password manager:
Your password gives you access to important online services such as b. Your email or online banking account, and also helps protect your personal data. For this reason, it is important to create separate, complex passwords for each account. This way, if one of your passwords on a particular app or website gets hacked, none of your other accounts will be hacked.
However, it can be difficult to remember all of your passwords as you may be signing up for new online services from time to time. Therefore, using a password manager (password manager app) can be beneficial; To create, store, and keep track of multiple passwords, all you have to do is register a master password to access your password manager account.
Try the Microsoft Authenticator password manager app, which is available on the App Store for iPhone and iPad users, the Google Play Store for Android users, and there are plugins for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers. Makes logging in to all your accounts easy and secure using auto-fill multi-factor authentication (MFA) or two-factor authentication (2FA), with the ability to generate new passwords.
3- Virtual Private Network:
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a popular online privacy and security tool that protects your data from hackers.
When you are connected to public Wi-Fi or other unsecured networks, hackers can see your IP address and browsing activity, which allows them to track your online activity, for example the websites you visit and the files you download.
You can use a VPN to prevent hackers from monitoring your activity. A VPN protects your online activities by creating an encrypted connection between your device and the websites you visit. It does this by routing your online activity through its secure servers, making it difficult to trace the original source of your online activity.
There are many VPNs that you can use to improve your online privacy and security, some of which are free while others require a paid subscription.
4- Encryption software:
If you regularly handle confidential information or store confidential data on your computer, such as for example financial or medical records, you may want to use encryption software, not just passwords.
Encryption software uses algorithms to scramble your data before it is stored on your computer or sent over the Internet, making it unreadable to hackers without the correct decryption key. This way, even if someone gains access to your computer, they won't be able to see or use the information.
Although it may seem complicated to the average user, the encoder is designed to be easy to use. All you have to do is download the encryption software, create an account and add a file in the software to encrypt the data inside.
5- Two-factor authentication:
This is another online security tool that adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts on websites and apps. But what is two-factor authentication (2FA)? First, it's important to understand the concept of single-factor authentication (SFA), which is the most common type of authentication that requires you to provide credentials, usually a username and password, to access a specific online account.
2FA, on the other hand, requires two steps to access your account. In addition to providing your username and password, some additional information is required, such as for example a confirmation code sent to your mobile phone via SMS or a code that you generated using the application two-factor authentication. This way, even if someone hacks your password, they will still need additional information to access your account.
6- Firewall:
One way to protect your network or devices from online threats is to use a firewall that acts as a shield and can help reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
A firewall is hardware or software that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing data between your private network and the public Internet to prevent unauthorized access. A firewall allows traffic that meets certain conditions and blocks traffic that does not.
You should consider using a firewall for a number of reasons, the main ones being: reduce your computer's exposure to malware, prevent unauthorized access to your computer or private Internet, and block your access to certain websites.