7 Quick Tips to Stay Safe Online
According to recent studies, there are currently over 23 million Internet users in Australia alone, an increase of 3.4% from the previous year. In Australia, the internet penetration rate is 91%, and we spend about 6 hours online on average each day (2 of which are spent on social media). I probably double that average daily usage, don’t know about you. It’s a fact that we are moving more and more into the cloud and online, shopping, streaming, communicating, paying bills, working, and more all take place online. With all this in mind, how can we prevent and protect ourselves from becoming victims of online crime? It is unfortunate that most corporate data breaches are caused by human error (at about 82%).
Our personal and professional lives alike require greater vigilance, and we should understand that managing security risks begins with us.
Listed are 7 Quick Tips to get you started to stay safe online...
Nothing is full-proof but why make it easier for hackers to gain your sensitive data.
1. Security Software
There's no getting around that our lives are impacted digitally in one way or another and we should protect them by ensuring all our devices are protected. We suggest using a trusted reputable vendor to install it, even on your mobile device.
2. Automatic Updates
A quick and easy way to increase safety is to ensure your computer and devices have the latest security and bug fixes. Set updates to run automatically where possible to avoid further vulnerability for hackers to hijack your device and accounts.
3. Use Unique Passwords
One of the most common mistakes is to use the same password across various accounts - I know it's a much easier thing to remember but remember if your credentials are breached once, hackers will commonly try to use these details on several accounts.
4. Careful what you Click!
The most common cyber-attacks that occur are due to phishing scams. Remain sceptical of unsolicited messages and don't click or open any attachments in them. Verify the sender of the content, even if it may look legitimate.
5. Multi-factor Authentication
More and more services now allow multi-authentication, adding another layer of security doesn't hurt and if by chance someone does get past the first step you will become instantly aware and act accordingly.
6. Don't Overshare
Be careful of what you share online as certain personal information such as your date of birth, mother's maiden name, address etc could only aid in having your identity stolen and used.
7. Stay Alert
Free Wi-Fi is great but always remain vigilant and don't access any sensitive information or even leave your devices unattended in public as this makes the job of cybercriminals easier to exploit users. Don't be complacent in thinking your local major chain store should be safe, that can breed a false sense of security. Keep safe online.
As an added bonus click image to the right to view, download and share Teltech's A3 Poster - The A to Z of Information Security!
We’d love to see our poster hang around the home or office, feel free to share on one of our socials or email through to us at enquiries@teltech.net.au
Thanks so much for your support.
