As digital technologies become the focus of our everyday lives, the amount of data that is exchanged online continues to increase.
It is therefore not surprising that the interest in the best VPN Consumer services is high everywhere. Governments around the world are also making new regulations about how such sensitive information should be stored, used and shared.
New data laws like that EU GDPR are an important step, but they are not enough. That’s partly because cyberattacks are also on the rise. Worse, evidence actually suggests how Home devices are now the main target.
Then, to mark the annual Privacy Day, we’re sharing nine tips on how to stay safe online and maintain your anonymity if your data is compromised.
As CEO of Vaibhav Antil Privateone of best free VPN Providers in the area, said: “Privacy Day gives us all an opportunity to take a second and think about what we are sharing about ourselves, when and where we are sharing it and with whom we are sharing it.”
1. Take the time to read the privacy policy
Despite many instances where companies have mishandled user data, the majority of people still don’t take the time to carefully review privacy policies before agreeing to the terms.
according to a 2019 study by Pew Research (opens in new tab), only 9% of Americans actually do. A similar scenario came from a opinion poll (opens in new tab) also conducted by cybersecurity auditing firm Deloitte. Here, over 90% of respondents admitted to agreeing to legal terms without having read them.
That’s right, these guidelines are often very long and difficult to understand. This makes it a daunting task to read the terms and conditions for every service and app we access online.
However, understanding how organizations use your information is the first step towards a more private life online.
Being clear about how your data is being treated is vital to staying on top of your digital life. Also, you can better choose the services you want to subscribe to.
The growing need of users to understand privacy regulations is actually driving some big tech companies to simplify theirs for better transparency.
Apple added privacy labels on its App Store to help users make informed decisions in, say, 2020. Google Play followed suit a year later.
2. Protect your browsing activity with a VPN
Abbreviation for Virtual Private Network, a VPN is a software that fakes your IP address Location. At the same time, it encrypts all data leaving your devices inside VPN tunnel.
How it works A VPN is the tool you want to use to protect your anonymity online from both cybercriminals and the prying eyes of the government. Using such a tool is especially important when you are connected to an insecure public Wi-Fi network as it is more vulnerable to attacks. A Torrent VPN is also important to safely download files from the Internet.
In addition to data protection, these security services can also improve overall online performance in many ways. Check our explainer for all the important ones VPN Benefits learn more. Our current favorite provider on the market is ExpressVPN.
3. Consider other cybersecurity software
As online risks continue to multiply, your data protection software needs to respond as well.
We recommend integrating the use of a VPN with other security software like this best virus protection solutions and password manager Tool. Likewise, ad blocker are essential if you want to stay private online.
The good news is that you don’t even need to have many different subscriptions these days. Because more and more providers are offering full security suites instead.
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN, for example, have their own password managers and ad blocking features built into their VPN software. During, Surfshark One is an all-in-one security bundle that includes four cybersecurity tools with just one subscription. You can also check out our guide for that Best VPN with Antivirus around now for more recommendations.
4. Beware of free apps
Whether it’s a VPN, an antivirus, an online game, or any other app, free services all have one thing in common: they’re hungry for your data.
This is simply because selling your information to third parties is their revenue as they do not charge you for their services.
At this point Andrew Newman, founder of the cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs (opens in new tab)said, “When people choose not to share their privacy, you see companies like Facebook and Google lose billions of dollars as a result. This shows you how valuable collecting such information is to these advertising companies.”
In the worst case, they could even infect your devices with them malware. In fact, according to Newman, downloading free software is one of the top reasons home users compromise their systems with viruses and other threats in the first place.
5. Secure your online accounts
Online accounts are arguably the main door to users’ most sensitive information. Because of this, making these logins as difficult as possible to compromise is crucial.
Securing your online accounts consists of a number of steps. First, you must use strong passwords contains a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters. It’s also important to never use the same password for different accounts. Again, using a password manager can help you.
You should too the login process more secure enable Multifactor authentication (MFA). Since you have to prove your identity twice or more, this can deter criminals from accessing your profile. Already a common practice to protect your email account, most social media platforms now offer this extra layer of security as well.
You should also consider setting up login notifications to receive a notification every time your account is accessed. This makes it easier to react quickly in the event of a violation.
6. Always keep all your devices up to date
Update after update, vendors can fix bugs and vulnerabilities in their operating systems.
For this, you should always make sure to always run the latest version of your operating system to minimize the entry points for an attack and protect your data from cybercriminals.
7. Check privacy settings for social and other apps
Likewise, it is recommended to carefully review the settings and permissions for all apps running on your devices. You’ll be amazed at how much information they can access about you by default.
Likewise, we recommend doing the same with all your online profiles.
As a rule of thumb, you should limit these to what is strictly necessary for the service to function properly, especially for social media apps.
8. Be careful what you click on
phishing Links, a tactic of spreading malware through malicious links and/or dangerous attachments, is one of the most common and successful methods to steal users’ sensitive information. Cyber criminals could aim to get your login details and then target your contacts to launch scams.
These malicious links are often shared via DMs and emails, but they are also increasingly appearing in social media posts and comments. Once victim clicks on it, their account and/or device gets infected. Your data has been compromised.
Beware of links or attachments that seem too good to be true that ask you to click or share personal information. You should always pay attention to catchy and shortened links, especially when they are sent from suspicious accounts. Verify the source before clicking and consider reporting any message that looks suspicious.
9. Back up your data regularly
Finally, backing up your data regularly is the best way to have your information available in case it is lost when your device crashes or worse after a cyber attack.
Tactics such as ransomware or wiper malware pose a major threat to your files. Even after a payment promise, you often cannot regain control of your data at first. The latter is a type of malware that erases all material on your device in one click.
So a regular backup on an external hard drive or encrypted cloud storage is the best defense against such malware.
