Technology has very quickly become something many Australians rely on. The Internet is now very commonly used to perform sensitive tasks such as online banking, paying bills and even communicating private and sensitive information like medical information for example. Because of this, knowing how to protect yourself online has very quickly become more important than ever, especially as it's fully your responsibility. With this in mind, this article is going to explore some of the top tips that you need to adopt to protect yourself online.
Use secure sites and platforms
It's very important that you're only ever using secure sites and platforms. This is the only way to fully protect yourself. Failing to use secure websites means that all your other efforts to protect yourself online will be for nothing. Many Australians fall victim to websites that put their information at risk. If you use an untrustworthy websites or platforms, you can put yourself and your personal data at risk. Knowing what to look for could end up saving you a lot of trouble down the line. You need to make a habit of looking for signs of a secure website before you provide any sensitive information about yourself. A good way to do this is to look for "https" at the beginning of the URL, rather than just "http." The "s" stands for secure and means that the website uses encryption technology to protect your data. Your browser can also help you out here and highlight any insecure websites, don't ignore these warnings. If you do need to use a website with a warning, just proceed with caution and don't provide any personal information.
When it comes to using online platforms, you need to make sure they're secure and reliable. Especially as most platforms require you to provide personal and in some cases financial information to join. Before signing up to a platform, you should do your research and check out online reviews. Hearing from other users can be a good indication of how secure a platform is. For gaming platforms and online casinos in particular, another important aspect to look out for is licensing and regulation. This is what ensures the platform is running legally, fairly and has policies in place to protect your personal data. Utilizing tools like bonus.net.nz, you can find secure and the best quality platforms, as well as the ones with the best deals.
Be cautious with your information
Yes, the most reliable and secure websites and platforms will be doing their best to protect your data. But unfortunately, that's not enough. You need to step up too. A huge part of this educating yourself and creating good habits. Regardless of what you're doing online, you need to be cautious with your personal information. You also need to make sure you're only sharing it with websites that you know you can trust. Be cautious at all times, this even includes on social media, comment sections or online forums.
When you set up any type of online account, you need to make sure your passwords are strong. Avoid choosing a password that can be guessed easily, or using the same password for all your accounts. This can be extremely risky. Enabling a multi-factor authorisation helps to add that extra layer of protection if someone does access your account. You also need to educating yourself on the different risks that are out there. For instance, phishing attempts are extremely common, and a huge part of avoiding them is knowing how to identify them.
If you're on social media, you need to know how to protect yourself and secure your profiles and information. Take a look at your privacy settings. It's best to adjust them to limit the visibility of your posts and personal details. This can help to prevent any of your personal details from falling into the wrong hands. You should only accept friend requests and messages from people you know. A lot of scam artists target people through these platforms.
Keep your devices and software secure
And finally, you need to make sure your devices and software are fully equipped to protect you. Regularly updating your software and devices is essential. Being behind on updates can make you vulnerable, essentially leaving an open window for hackers. An easy way to stay up to date is by enabling automatic updates, this means you don't even have to think about it. Additionally, investing in good quality anti-virus software can help to protect your devices and software from any cyber-attacks. Just remember to also keep the anti-virus software up to date too.
Many Australians forget that they need to secure their home network too. It's really important that you change any default passwords for your router and Wi-Fi network, using only strong and unique passwords. You should also enable encryption (such as WPA3) on your Wi-Fi network to protect your internet traffic from unauthorized access. Keep an eye on the devices that are connected to your network, this can help you to identify any unfamiliar or suspicious connections. Regular checks could end up saving you a lot of trouble down the line. The sooner you find these issues, the better.