It is fascinating to consider just how much of our lives are spent online these days. Many of us rely on the internet for so many things, from watching the latest TV shows and movies to tackling our jobs. But, while you might make use of online platforms regularly, how much thought do you actually give to the vital issues of safety and security?
Making headlines
Cybersecurity issues are rarely out of the news these days, with reports on hacks and other incidents emerging all the time. Despite this, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that data loss and similar issues are just things that happen to major organizations or other people.
However, anyone can ultimately be affected, so it is always worth taking some precautions. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to address the issue and here we have provided an outline of three key starting points.
Sort your social media
A huge number of people use social media platforms day after day, but just how accessible is your information? As this infographic on staying safe and private on social media outlines, there are a number of reasons why you might want to keep posts private, with a key one being that we do not want strangers to have access to our activities.
There are some quick tips and tricks on how to navigate social media without exposing private information. For example, only tag locations in your posts after you’ve left, to avoid stalkers. In addition, ExpressVPNs article suggests that users should only allow more sensitive posts to be visible to carefully selected ‘close friends’ and also proposes having one public and one private account, so you can tailor your content to different audiences.
Evidently, when it comes to using social media safely, there are a number of ways to ensure that users can protect themselves from the dangers of cybercrime.
Embrace encryption
If you want to ensure that information sent online is secure, you could examine your options when it comes to email encryption. Microsoft’s page on encrypting an email in Outlook explains how this means the message is changed from plain text to a scrambled cipher text.
When this is used, only the recipient with the right private key can decipher the message – and everyone else just sees indecipherable text. Microsoft adds that Outlook supports both S/MIME encryption and Microsoft 365 Message Encryption.
Perfect your payments
Do you regularly shop online? Then it may be worth thinking about how you ultimately pay for items. There are many payment methods out there these days, so it is worth checking the security around specific platforms.
PayPal’s Purchase Protection covers you even if you have #CrazyRich people taste in gifts. 👍🏻😂 https://t.co/ktcYC1AjXi pic.twitter.com/USxPqfPoiH
— PayPal (@PayPal) August 28, 2018
For example, PayPal outlines how it keeps user data safe and adds that payment recipients do not receive any sensitive information. The platform also offers PayPal Purchase Protection if there is a problem, while there is protection for sellers as well.
A big issue
There is no denying that security is a big issue in the online space, so it is important for people to be aware of the steps that they can take on it. If you are a beginner when it comes to online safety, we hope that these ideas might encourage you to investigate the matter further.
Cybersecurity incidents can have significant consequences, but these simple steps might be a great starting point as you look to stay safe and secure online.