The use of the Internet is widespread throughout the world. Still, like everything else, the network does not only have good things, and cyber scammers take advantage of the web opportunities to steal money, information, attack systems, impersonate identities, or sell personal data. This February 11, Safe Internet Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the dangers that lurk on the Internet.
The Civil Guard itself has taken advantage of Safe Internet Day to warn about the increase in scams through the ‘spoofing’ technique: a practice that cybercriminals use to impersonate identity through email. To avoid this type of fraud on the network, the agents recommend increasing your equipment and email security and using the electronic signature in your emails.
However, internet users are not aware of the risks that using the Internet can pose. The experts explain a series of 10 tips to strengthen your security on the network (Internet).
Table of Contents
1. Check the security of the website.
Look at the URL; to be a secure address, it must start with ‘https.’ If you don’t include the -s denial, the page doesn’t offer high protection standards. Look for the lock in the browser bar. It is a marker that indicates that the web page is a secure site.
2. Read the ‘Terms and conditions.’
It is a tedious practice, but it is essential to read the ‘Terms and conditions’ section before registering on a page or App. Many users may lose control of their data when using specific applications.
3. Secure users and passwords
Using the same username and password for everything is bad practice. If ‘thieves’ crack the credentials in a single application, they will easily access the rest.
4. Protect your equipment.
Having an antivirus is essential to try to guarantee the security of your computers. To prevent other internet users from gaining access to your devices in the event of theft, it is necessary to protect them with passwords.
5. Personal data and ‘cookies.’
You can prevent ‘cookies’ and your data from being saved through the browsers’ privacy option.
6. Beware of downloads.
Download the applications on the official sites to ensure that it is the real App, and it is not a replica through which information and your data can be stolen.
7. Internet shopping
Suppose you are going to make purchases over the Internet. In that case, it is advisable to use intermediate payment platforms, establish a double check to approve the transaction – for example, via SMS – and verify the charges received in your bank account.
8. Update the applications and operating systems.
Updates often include security patches, so it is essential to keep installed operating systems and software.
9. Parental authorization
If you have children at home, it is advisable to activate parental authorization of content so that you can configure searches and decide what the little ones can have access to.
10. Teach children to use the Internet properly.
A network is a dangerous place for any user, but even more so in children. They must be aware of these risks and how they can solve them: differentiate between ‘friend’ and ‘contact,’ not providing personal data, limiting the time of Internet use.