Cybersecurity is no longer something you can take lightly. It is mandatory that you practice some basic data hygiene guidelines to stay safe online and know what to do in case your device is affected by a virus or malware.
Let’s take a look at a few tips that can help you stay safe online.
Getting rid of malware
Prevention is the best cure. But if you find yourself in a situation where you have inadvertently downloaded malware onto your laptop, you can still get rid of it. We will discuss how Apple protects you from malware and what to do to remove it, but for a step-by-step guide, you can visit https://setapp.com/ and read the detailed article.
Apple has a feature called Gatekeeper which, as the name suggests, prevents software that you have not approved of from running on your device. The operating system also has several security layers, and the usual suspects cannot get into your Mac.
There is also a background tool called Xprotect, which is another in-built feature, and it scans downloaded data. But if you still find malware on your system, you can manually delete the software by removing it from your system, or you can use cleaning software to find and delete any suspicious files.
Creating and storing strong passwords
A basic tip for staying safe online is to avoid using the same password or a weak one. Most people make the mistake of using the same password on multiple websites, and the problem with that is if one of the websites has a breach, the email and password will be exposed, and it can be used to login into other accounts.
Apart from having a unique and strong password, you should also look at two-factor authentication. When it comes to storing passwords, you can use Keychain to do so, and it will sync seamlessly across your devices if you use Apple. On Windows, you can use browser-based password managers or a dedicated app like Dashlane.
Always using a VPN
A VPN doesn’t just help unlock content that is not available in your country. It also enables you to stay anonymous when scrolling through the web. Using a VPN is useful in several different ways. Anonymity and privacy are a given, but you can also keep your search history private from your internet service provider, employer, university, or school.
Your IP address is masked, and your data gets encrypted. The other advantage of using a VPN is that you can prevent cookies from following you around the web and tracking your activity.
Clicking on links
Whenever you click on a link online, make sure you know what it does. You can hover over a link and see what comes up in the bottom left corner. If the anchor text in the link indicates something while the preview shows a suspicious URL, refrain from clicking on that link.
As a general rule, avoid clicking on links that come into your inbox from senders you don’t recognize. You should also be careful when browsing the web and clicking on links that you are not too sure of or look shady.
Visiting duplicitous websites
If you manage to find yourself on a website that has a ton of pop-ups and ads, it is safe to say that the website is not necessarily legitimate. Clicking on those links can open several tabs or download malware or a virus, so you should avoid doing that. Make sure the website you are on is secure and uses HTTPS so that your data is encrypted. But if you do find yourself on a shady website, close the tab instead of clicking on any link or pop-ups.
Backing up your data
Say you accidentally download an app that turns out to be a virus, and you end up losing all your data. The situation is far from ideal, but you can redeem it if you use data recovery software or are in the habit of regularly backing up your data.
You can use Time Machine on the Mac or a dedicated app to back up your data on Windows. The other ways to go about this are to use an external drive and copy your files onto it or to use cloud storage services. There is a subscription fee associated with cloud storage services, but it may be pertinent if you work online.
To sum up
Practicing data security may mean you have to stay on top of the latest tactics that hackers use to steal your information. Depending on the kind of work you do, data breach or loss can be a severe issue to deal with.
You can rely on dedicated apps that can keep monitoring your system and alert you if it finds something suspicious, and always keep your OS up to date to get the latest security patches.