Ways to protect yourself against hackers

Use anti-virus protection There are many anti-virus services available for users. They can offer many different types of computer protection. Some anti-virus services are even free. They are a great way to have a professional help keep users one step ahead of hackers.

Update Update your OS and other software frequently, if not automatically. This keeps hackers from accessing your computer through vulnerabilities in outdated programs

Destroy Destroy all traces of your personal info on hardware you plan on selling. Consider using d-ban to erase your hard drive. For those looking to pillage your recycled devices, this makes information much more difficult to recover.

Don’t link accounts. If you want to comment on an article and you’re prompted to sign in with Twitter or Facebook, do not go behind the door. “Convenience always lessens your security posture,”. “Linking accounts allows services to acquire a staggering amount of personal information.”

Keep sensitive data off the cloud. “No matter which way you cut it, data stored on the cloud doesn’t belong to you,” says Taggart. “There are very few cloud storage solutions that offer encryption for ‘data at rest.’ Use the cloud accordingly. If it’s important, don’t.”

Make your password harder to hack Hard passwords include upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. They should be at least eight characters in length. They should also notspell out words easy for hackers to find, like your pet’s name or the name of a family member.

Change your password regularly A very common mistake made by users is to create one hard password, but then never change it. Remembering a long list of complicated passwords can be difficult. But no password is unbreakable. Hackers are better able hack multiple accounts if those accounts all have the same password. A password management service, like Dashlane or PasswordBox, can help you keep track of hard passwords. These services permit users to easily store and secure their passwords.

Sensing a pattern here? Create difficult passwords and change them frequently. In addition, never use the same passwords across multiple services. If that’s as painful as a stake to a vampire’s heart, use a password manager like LastPass. For extra hacker protectant, ask about two-step authentication. Several services have only recently started to offer two-factor authentication, and they require the user to initiate the process. Trust us, the extra friction is worth it. Two- factor authentication makes taking over an account that much more difficult, and on the flip side, much easier to reclaim should the worst happen.

Come up with creative answers for your security questions. People can now figure out your mother’s maiden name or where you graduated from high school with a simple Google search.

Clear your browser history This goes for all the devices you use in a day – your home computer, your work computer, or your friend’s iPad. Internet browsers like Firefox or Chrome keep track of where you’ve been and what you’ve done online. They keep records of every site you visited. Information about what you sent from or saved on your computer can be kept for days or weeks. It is very easy for anyone who sees that information to steal a detailed record of your online activities.

Do not use free Wi-Fi An increasing number of public places now offer free wireless access to the Internet. Often, a user does not need a password to connect to these wireless networks. These services might be useful, but they’re also an easy way for hackers to access everything on your device. Unless you really need it, it is best not to use it.

Use HTTPS HTTPS is officially known as “hyper-text transfer protocol secure.” It is similar to HTTP, which is used to enter Internet addresses. HTTPS adds an extra layer of and encryption while online. Communications security between users and sites that support HTTPS are encrypted. The information is also authenticated. That means that HTTPS can determine whether or not a website is real.

Watch what you click One of the most popular and successful ways hackers infect your computer is through a technique called phishing. Phishing occurs when someone opens an email attachment that looks real. But the attachment is actually a virus that immediately infects the user’s computer. If someone sends you a file or a website you did not ask for, it is best to not click on it.

Try not to use public computers For many people, not using a public computer can be difficult. Those without a computer or Internet access at home often use Internet cafes to get online. However, the more different people use a computer, the more likely a virus has infected it.

Be careful while using thumb drive Thumb drives, also known as flash drives, are small and easy storage devices to use across different computers. They are a popular device that people use to exchange files and documents. They can also spread viruses easily across computers and networks.

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