How to Stay Safe On The Internet? The Complete Guide

The rise of the internet has given birth to all new kinds of security threats. Undoubtedly, access to high-speed internet has opened the gates to tons of exciting opportunities. You can shop for anything from all over the globe and talk to people anywhere, anytime. The Internet has unlimited great things to offer but nothing good ever comes with its own share of a bad side. If you don’t know it already then prepare to have your bubble burst. The Internet is full of threats that can leave you seriously harmed and you should learn how to stay safe online. There is a whole debate on how to stay safe on the internet and are the over the top methods necessary?

Recognizing that there are threats lurking behind your computer screen is the first step in an internet safety guide. In this article, we will discuss how to keep kids safe online as well as other members of your family. You wouldn’t want to put yourself and your family in any situation that can leave lasting impacts and that’s where malware safety tips come in handy.

To teach you how to protect yourself from scams on the internet, we have compiled this ultimate guide to internet safety. Read till the end you’ll learn about all the latest threats that lurk on the other side of your computer screen. Follow Internet safety guidelines.

Internet Threats Based on Internet Connection Type

While most won’t believe the fact that the type of internet connection you have can either reduce or increase the chances of online security breaches. One of the primary safety tips for identity theft is to have a completely secured internet connection. Almost all the hackers try to breach your internet connection to intercept all the activity you do online. The easiest way to do that is by tapping the internet cable that reaches your home.

If you have a cable or DSL internet connection then any hacker can easily cut a little part of the wire and access all the data you send and receive. We suggest you use a strong firewall and antivirus software to keep your incoming and outgoing data secured. If you wish to take things one step forward then you can also use a VPN service to encrypt all the information. This is one of the primary internet safety hacks.

If you are using a high-speed optical fiber internet connection then any hacker that tries to tap the wire will fail. Fiber optic cables are super thin and as soon as they are cut they stop transmitting data. You can still use Firewall and anti-virus software to keep yourself secured. Follow these home internet security tips to make your home internet a fortress of secured browsing.

Threats You May Face Online

Now that you know and believe the fact that online threats are real and all it takes is one wrong click to make things worse for you. You need to learn about the threats, you need to follow the guide to internet safety.

1. Hacks

This is one of the most common words that come to mind when anyone thinks about online threats. A hack happens when someone who has not authorized access to some account, some information that he/she should not. Consider a hack as a type of virtual break-in. You need to know how to protect yourself from scams on the internet.

The most common thing that happens when someone hacks an account or information, they are looking to get paid. A hacker might want to steal your valuable information that they’d sell to the highest buyer or they’d demand money directly from you.

Hacks come in all shapes and sizes. Large business organizations get hacked all the time. This leads to a massive loss of data and millions of dollars worth of loss for the company. One of the most recent examples of this is the Equifax hack that occurred in 2017, the company is still reeling from the losses. That’s why it is important to learn how to stay safe on the internet.

Unfortunately, there’s not much any individual can do to prevent these hacks. The main thing is to only share your valuable information with companies you trust.

2. Identity Theft

Head of identity theft? What can be scarier than that? A case of identity theft happens when a hacker has enough of your information to operate in the real world as you. A hacker often needs your name, social security number, passwords, credit card info, and anything else they can get to steal your identity. Now that they have this information, they can do anything like you, they can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars using your credit cards or steal your personal info using your passwords. In the end, massive identity theft will leave you in a ton of debt.

3. Malware & Spyware

Malware and spyware are some of the most common types of computer viruses. They are basically the files you accidentally download via mail or social media. Having a thorough knowledge of malware safety tips can help you prevent a lot of damage these types of viruses often cause.

Perhaps the most superficial and damaging thing they can do is break your computer beyond repair. These viruses are well known to infect a hard drive which will corrupt all the files on your device or just delete them permanently. Although most hackers don’t prefer to use these kinds of hacks as they get nothing out of it. There are some cases you will be asked to pay money for the recovery of your device and files.

4. Scams & Fraud

These are the most dangerous threats you will find online as they are built to steal either money or information from the users. There is a whole list of online scams that can leave you broken beyond repair. It is almost impossible to mention all the scams and frauds that happen online. So we will put a list of the most common online scams.

• Phishing scams
• Online dating scams
• Investment Scams
• Free stuff scams
• Insurance scams
• Charity scams

Internet Safety Guidelines

Now that you have a fair idea of what kind of threat lurks behind every single click. Although even with all these threats, there is a way on how to keep children safe online and yourself. We can’t assure you that you will be completely safe from these threats, but following the guide to internet safety, you can avoid most of the problems. Here’s how to stay safe on the internet.

1. Browse Wisely

There’s a thing known as safe browsing. The concept is simple, visit the sites that you know are trustworthy and avoid the websites that are marked unsafe by your browser. Steer clear of the websites that are full of pop-up ads and materials that are not something you’d feel comfortable with. 

Another thing you can do to keep yourself safe online is to keep an eye out for the “https://” indicator in your browser. If a website is secured, it will show up as a padlock in Chrome. Different browsers have different ways of showing that a website is secured or not. A padlock is an indication that the website you are using has employed a common yet strong defense system against hackers. It saves your personal information from being accessed by outsiders. 

If you are not sure of a particular site but you think is safe, then the ideal thing to do is to look for the contact information on the website. If you wish to learn how to protect from online scams then you need to learn the skill of identifying fake and genuine websites.

2. Use Unique Password

This is the most common practice of internet safety guidelines. Your whole online world can come crashing down if you don’t use passwords that are tough and unique. Your password is the primary line of defense from attacks. If a hacker gets hold of any one of your password then it won’t be long they would have access to almost all your accounts. 

Keep in mind that you need to have passwords for every device you use. Your WiFi passwords need to be secured whether you are using a Cable internet connection or satellite or any other. All your social media accounts, payment apps, and email accounts need to be secured with unique and strong passwords. While choosing a password, follow these guidelines:

• Your passwords should be hard to guess, don’t use the names of your kids, pets, or your own. Don’t use birth dates, your current addresses, or a simple combination of numbers like “12345678”. Mix things up and use numbers, alphabets & symbols in your password. If you think you’ll have trouble remembering your password, use a password manager.
• Don’t use common passwords for all your accounts. If you really need to learn how to protect yourself from scams on the internet, then all your passwords have to be different. Remembering different passwords can be tough so you’d want to use a trusted and encrypted password manager.

Use two-factor authentication. The safety tips for identity theft includes using a multiple factor authentication system. Using this will let you know whenever someone is trying to access your accounts without your authorization. Even if someone is able to guess your password, they would still need a one time password that would appear on your device.

3. Anti Virus Software

Most people don’t believe in anti-virus software but no list of malware safety tips is complete without anti-virus software. Get trusted anti-virus software and set it on a regular scan. These programs will keep scanning your devices to make sure there isn’t any malicious software present in your device. 

Almost all the anti-virus software comes included with a safe search node that will let you know if the website you are visiting safe or not. They also hold any automatic download from going through without your permission. 

4. Keep Updating Everything

One of the main things you can do to stay safe online is to make sure that all your devices are updated. Software developers constantly keep on searching for weak points in their programs that hackers could easily expose. Once they find that, they put out a new update to keep your devices safe and secure. It is crucial that you install these updates, if you don’t then your devices will be easy to exploit. Install the security updates as soon as they are released.

How To Keep Kids Safe Online

As a parent, it is your duty to make sure that your kids are safe from predators while they are online. To learn how to keep children safe online, you need to implement a set of rules. You should also follow the tips on how to protect from online scams as listed below.

1. Parental Controls

Implementing parental controls may seem like a cliche but it is important till your kids come to an age they understand the difference between right and wrong. Put parental controls on all the devices at home so your kids can experience a safe online environment. 

You should have a conversation with your kids and try to teach them the importance of staying safe online. Until they understand, use parental controls. Some useful parental controls prevent your kids from sharing info on social media without your permission. This may frustrate your kids but it is for their own safety so it is better to let a get your kid frustrated than scammed online. 

2. Limited Screen Time

Putting a limit on your kid’s screen time is one of the most important steps in how to keep kids safe online. The less time they spend online, the fewer chances they have of getting tricked. How you will implement this limit is up to you. You could stop your kids from taking their devices in their rooms during bedtime or you could provide them devices that are full of parental controls. 

Conclusion: Safety Is The First Priority

Don’t let this article scare you, there are countless threats online but with simple internet safety guidelines, you can make your online experience worthwhile. Strictly adhere to the steps on how to stay safe on the internet online we have mentioned above and enjoy your privacy.