Do You Surf The Internet Safely?

We often use the Internet with complete peace of mind, but are we aware of the risks that exist on the Internet? Do we correctly protect our information?

Long ago the internet became an indispensable tool, not only in terms of work or leisure, but it has been installed in our lives to the point of having appliances, cars, and all kinds of products that have their internet connection that means that they are also open doors to the risks of the network.

100% security is an unattainable goal, but as in everything, we can always increase protection as much as possible, in addition to being informed of the latest cybersecurity news.

Within the vast network of the internet, users are often faced with a myriad of risks, some easily recognizable, but others bypass security filters and reach the end-user.

What are the most common scams on the net?

• Online sale: This type of trade is increasingly widespread and regulated, but it still has its risks. It is not difficult to find a store with a dubious charge, or a request to fill in unnecessary data when buying products, to obtain information from users to use later for unethical purposes. To make safe purchases online, the main thing is always checking the company’s information and using verified payment systems.
• Spoofing identity: As we have seen in a previous entry on this blog, this type of scam is quite common through a phishing system. Cybercriminals contact the recipient posing as their bank to report suspicious activity and, to fix it, ask for access codes and passwords. Once obtained is when they make fraudulent use of your card or bank account. To avoid these scams, you should not reveal information about the card’s pin, password, or CVV to anyone.
• Scams of a support technician: Sometimes, they contact by phone or email to warn of a virus on the computer and offer an application to eliminate it, which is malicious software. It is important to know that no technical service will call to report this problem, so it is better to ignore these types of calls.

Tips for safe browsing

The saying goes that prevention is always better than cure and when it comes to internet security, this is applicable. Now, what can we do as simple users? Let’s look at some simple questions.

• Update equipment: All operating systems have mechanisms to install security updates, patches that are updated from time to time and are prepared against known threats. In addition, it is also important to have the periodic update of the applications installed a posteriori because if they are obsolete, the risk of being attacked increases.
• Manage passwords: who has not ever had a problem with their passwords? They are one of the headaches of users and at the same time a somewhat questionable method of security since we tend to use the same for almost everything. So that this is not a problem, the idea is to have a ‘password manager’ that generates and remembers as many as necessary.
• Protect browsers: these can often be the entry point for viruses, so it is important to be up to date with the add-ons that they offer us and uninstall those that we do not use or do not generate confidence in us.
• Step-by-step authentication: Having an extra verification code is always having an extra point of security. Either with a mobile app or via SMS, it is a very useful mechanism, especially when it comes to filling in confidential data or making purchases
• Be wary of free public networks: It can be very useful to find a free public network, common in places like airports, hotels, etc., but they also have their risk since we cannot control who accesses it or their intentions.
• VPN as extra security: We have used them exponentially recently with telecommuting. Its use is undoubtedly an option for those who need greater security since it hides the user’s IP and redirects the traffic through an encrypted channel.
• Parental control: The internet stopped being an adult thing for a long time. The new generations have been born with the net and they handle themselves like fish in water, but that does not indicate that everything in it is suitable for them. For this reason, parental control tools that limit and filter access to minors are important.

And of course, use common sense. When something looks bad, distrust. Today the network has all the tools to be transparent, so for those places that do not seem safe to us, it is better to avoid them.

And what should we not do?

We have analyzed the tips to follow to improve security, but it is also worth knowing what not to do on the internet.

• Trust everything to antivirus: They are indeed becoming better prepared, but for this reason, we must not ignore the security of our system because even with antivirus we can be victims of phishing and other elements.
• Not protecting the RRSS: They are there, we count our lives and emotions but we rarely stop to think about the threats they can pose. It is important to be aware of what is published and, as far as possible, to privatize personal profiles.
• Exposing unnecessary data: Credit card numbers, email accounts, and even physical addresses are some of the data that people expose or share on the internet without being aware of the risks.
• Make use of unofficial sources: When downloading an application it is important to always verify that it is a version through the official source, otherwise, its content could not be secured and it is easy for it to carry a virus.