Surfing the internet is fun, isn’t it? In past, the internet was not so user-friendly. Those were the time where you have to have a device that makes an annoying noise and then connect to the internet – Dial-Up connection. Now, the time changed, we have WI-FI and social networking. The newest technology Li-Fi is on the way to make a debut. These things made very easy to connect with World Wide Web. But, have you ever thought about the risk you go through while surfing the internet, probably not. Here are 6 things you should stop doing online, immediately:
Choosing Simple and Guessable Password
Well, it very hard to remember “GiZmOGuFf198” or “FrAoo9A*!” isn’t it! So you keep your password “gizmoguff”, this is easy to remember and easy to guess in case you forgot your password. Other names like pet’s name, family name, birthdays, weekdays etc. are some common password people choose from.
Do not use such guessable passwords. They can be hacked easily by the people and some kind of software will recognize your password easily. And you know what will happen if any hacker or spammer gets your password or any other information.
Reusing Same Passwords
Now, you will use a difficult password but easy to remember. Don’t you? And the same password for every login. You could be the victim of hackers who guesses your password and your login credential will be compromised. And if one login name and password open your bank account, twitter, kaymu, etc….. well, you know very well.
You Won a Lottery / Clicking Link in Emails
Research shows that a person encounters hundreds of spams daily, only on the internet. Clicking on a link in spam or phishing e-mail may take you to a site that automatically downloads malware to your computer or to a site that looks familiar but steals your password. Sometimes you will get an email saying “Congratulations! You are the lucky winner. You won Blah. Blah.. Blah.. ”, and you get excited and click the link, which will direct you to another site that automatically downloads malware.
Let the Internet know you will be out of the Town
Social networking media is the trend here. Facebook, twitter, google plus, etc. etc. have a huge number of users. If Facebook was a country, it would have been the largest country on the planet. These social networking websites have helped you to connect with your old friends and make new friends too. But, everyone doesn’t have good intention to be on the social networking website. In such website, you post everything that going on your life, don’t you? You want your friends to know where you are traveling and when you will be leaving the town. That’s it! Some bad people might be waiting for the moment. Keep those things up to yourself or only share with your trusted friends or family members.
Relying On Social Media’s Default Settings
As seen, most of us don’t care about the setting of the social media. You leave it as it is, in default settings. Most of the settings allow the outsider to sneak into your profile and get your pics and other information, and use it against you. So, always before using any social media, change the privacy setting.
Trusting Public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi.
How often you use these free public Wi-Fi? Did you know this Wi-Fi are very weak in terms of security? If you connect to this public Wi-Fi, there are chances that a person or software will be monitoring your activity on the website. If you use your credit cards, login into your bank account, etc. from public Wi-Fi, there is always the risk that your credentials will be compromised. So, in such case, we recommend you to use VPN while using public Wi-Fi.
These are some tips you should be aware of while surfing the internet. Although, the above points might help you to tackle some risks you are always surrounded by online thieves and spammers. So, it would be a good idea to subscribe a good antivirus that would help you to avoid such problems.
Stay Safe!
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