With around 1 million new computer viruses being created every single day, there’s a lot of opportunities out there to get hacked while working online.
If you know how to stay safe online,
you can protect your computer and your accounts so you don’t have to worry
about these cybercriminals.
Read: Managed IT Services: 10 Important Ways Your Company Can Benefit
As you’ll see, it’s easier than you
may think to ensure you have all the protection you need to stay safe. Keep
reading to learn more internet security tips.
#1. Have Real-Time Protection in Place
The first thing you need to do is
ensure you have an anti-malware in place that offers real-time protection. What
that means is that it’s constantly monitoring all of your activities and will
stop a threat before it enters your computer.
Not all anti-malware programs offer
this, so be sure to find one that does.
#2. Do Regular Malware Scans
Even when you have real-time
protection, there are going to be viruses that slip through the cracks from
time to time. That’s why we recommend having a second anti-malware program
installed with which you can do regular scans.
This second program should have the ability to find malware that other programs may miss so that you can quickly catch anything before it becomes a problem.
#3. Be Smart About Websites
If you’re browsing a website that
doesn’t have an SSL certificate in place, leave immediately.
These websites are not secure and any information you provide to them is
unprotected.
To check this, all you have to do is
look at the site’s address. If it starts with “http://,” it’s not secure. If it starts with “https://,” it is secure and you can trust it.
#4. Don’t Trust Every Email
As an online entrepreneur, you
likely get a lot of emails every day. Some of them are spam, some are from
partners or clients, and others are dangerous.
If you get an email from an address you don’t recognize and it contains a file, you may not want to open it. Some of these emails will automatically download the file to your computer if you open it which infects your computer.
Read: Web Hosting Problems and What-to-Do’s
#5. Know What Accounts are Linked
Today, it’s incredibly easy to link all kinds of accounts.
To stay safe online, you have to
know which of your accounts are linked, and which devices you’re logged into.
This will help you identify weak points in your cybersecurity so you can
fortify them.
#6. Use Complex Passwords
This is one you probably already
know, but it’s worth repeating. The more complex a password is, the more
difficult it will be for someone to hack your account.
Consider using a password generator
to create a strong password for your accounts. Then, allow your computer to
save them for you and keep them hand-written for reference.
Learn More About How to Stay Safe Online
Now you know how to stay safe
online. Following these tips will protect your computer from any malware that
may try to attack it.
But, what about your website? If
you’re working online, chances are you have your own website and will need to
keep it safe, too.
Check out our article on choosing the best web host to see how that
decision can have an impact on your site’s security.
