How To Stay Safe While Surfing The Internet

The Internet is a part of our everyday life nowadays. Every day we spend a good amount of time on the internet. Also, we rely on the internet for some very important tasks like internet banking.

This is also true that the internet is full of cyber predators, so you need to be extra careful while surfing the internet.

If you take precautions you can put yourself one step ahead of cyber threats. In this article, I am going to tell you some of the best tips and tricks that you can follow in order to stay safe while surfing the internet

8 Ways To Stay Safe Online

1. Use A Secure Browser
2. Use A Security Software
3. Use VPN On Browser
4. 4. Use Strong Passwords
5. Check For The SSL Certificate
6. Beware From Phishing Traps
7. Take Precautions While Shopping Online
8. Be Careful While Making Online Friends

1. Use A Secure Browser

The most essential thing that you need to surf the internet is the browser. You need to use a browser that is authentic and trustworthy. Some of the most authentic browsers are Chrome, Mozilla, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.

It is not safe to use an unknown browser. So, before you visit any website make sure you have a legit browser.

Also, you need to update your browser from time to time. The updated version of browsers comes with the latest security patches and fixed known bugs.

Every popular browser keeps publishing the updated version from time to time. You need to go to the official website of the browser and download the latest version and install it.

You can also update the browsers directly from the settings of that browser which is very easy just go the settings of the browser your are using and update it.

2. Use A Security Software

Experts always advise using a robust security software to protect your PC from cyber threats. These security software come with advanced security patches that block external threats from entering your computer.

There are a number of antivirus programs available on the internet which makes it very confusing to choose one. There are some essential requirements that you should check before choosing an antivirus-

• The antivirus should be easy to use.
• Continuous protection.
• Real-time threat detection.
• Regularly update malware definitions.
• Should be able to detect every type of threat i.e. adware, spyware, malware, virus, and ransomware.
• The antivirus programs should detect any type of malicious code.
• It should protect your email and FTP.
• Cost-Effective.
• The antivirus should not affect your PC performance

The antivirus should be lightweight so it does not consume too many system resources and won’t slow down your PC.

3. Use VPN On Browser

If you are using the chrome browser then there are many free VPN extensions available that you can use. VPNs are good to protect your privacy online. These tools are very advanced and stop hackers from tracking you online.

Also, these extensions will help you stream content that is not available in your country. Just search on Google for the best VPN extensions and you will get some good suggestions.

4. Use Strong Passwords

You log in to many important websites on the internet with your user ID and passwords. You should always use strong passwords which are not easy to guess. You may not be able to remember too strong passwords for multiple websites so you can take help from free password manager tools.

If you are logging into a banking website then you should always use an on-screen keyboard for extra precaution. This will protect you against keyloggers.

You should use different passwords for different websites and never share them with anyone. Never save your passwords on your desktop as many PC programs are able to read your files. Also, if a malware somehow manages to enter your PC it could read your files and your passwords will be compromised.

It is a good habit to keep changing your password from time to time.

5. Check For The SSL Certificate

Whenever you visit a website make sure that it has an SSL certificate.

What is an SSL Certificate?

Websites that have HTTPS instead of HTTP in their URL have SSL certificates. This certificate adds an extra layer of security to the website. To identify such websites you can check their URL or the lock icon in the browser as shown in the image below-

Websites with SSL certificates are hard to compromise and it is very unlikely to get your PC infected with such websites.

6. Beware From Phishing Traps

When you access your email or social media accounts online you find that there are so many messages from your friends. Sometimes these messages are from unknown sources. Most of the time these unknown sources look very legit but actually, they are frauds who are trying to steal your data.

These emails or messages contain malicious links that cybercriminals use to steal your data or infect your PC with malware. The bottom line is taht always follows one rule “don’t ever click a link from unknown sources”.

There are antivirus software available that can block access to such malicious websites to an extent. But they can not block every malicious website, so you need to take extra precautions.

7. Take Precautions While Shopping Online

In today's world online shopping is an inevitable part of our life. There are many online shopping websites that provide amazing products. So, when you shop online you get some extra discounts if you pay with your credit cards and debit cards. In order to pay with your cards you have to put in your card details which cyber criminals always prey for.

So, whenever you enter your card details on a website make sure it is a legitimate ones. You should only pay online to trustworthy websites like Amazon, eBay, etc. otherwise pay on delivery is always an option.

8. Be Careful While Making Online Friends

The internet is full of imposters and fake IDs. If you get a friend request on Facebook from your friend's profile then you need to make sure that it is actually your friend not someone else.

Because anyone can make a fake ID in your friend's name. Facebook is just an example there could be imposters on Twitter, email, and other social media platforms. After making your friends online they can send you malicious links and ask you for money.

Especially, when you lend some money to your friends on the basis of an email or social media message just call them to confirm that it is actually them.

Conclusion:

These are the tips and tricks to stay safe while surfing the internet. I hope this article helped you a lot. If you like this article please share it with your friends on social media. For any suggestions please use the comments section.