How You Can Protect Your Online Privacy: Easy Steps for Daily Activities

(Image by Reimund Bertrams from Pixabay)

In 2019 black hats attempt to misuse our digital life by obtaining sensitive information for unlawful purposes. These actions lead to web fraud and hacking, financial troubles, identity theft, and annoying ads. Online criminality often influences our physical security. If your device is got stolen or sold, a hacker can easily restore your billing info and passwords.

The issue is that an up-to-date internet user should understand how to protect online privacy and at least be aware of the potential risks and web
espionage. In this article, we uncover how data leakage occurs and what to do to secure web activities. Sharing is caring!

How and where the data leaks?

Exfiltration is a new term meaning the info leakage or illegal data copying. When a piece of data is lost entirely and can't be reached by its owner because a hacker encoded it, we speak about cyber criminality. To dive into
details on why privacy matters, read this article. Let’s clarify now, what kind of information is in danger?

• Financial information. Online banks operate vast data massives. Namely, a number of your card, bank metrics, tax forms, bills, a history of payments.
  

• Medical records. It is a data set on an individual which reveals health metrics describing a physical or mental state.
  

• Personally Identifiable Data. It is a piece of information governments use to recognise, connect, or identify the geo of an individual.
  

• Intellectual data. It includes licenses, commerce secrets, blueprints, customer databases, etc.

• Governmental sensitive data. This information involves military secrets, recordings, documentation, and meetings.
  

According to this classification, we assume that all online actions are tracked and gathered in different ways. As a result, companies experience money loss and reputation damage, while individuals suffer identity theft.

A Guide on How To Protect Online Privacy

To eliminate the potential for a security breach, follow the easy steps we provide below.

#1 Install a Reliable Antivirus

An antivirus is a must-have for any device, no matter whether you surf the web or not. This software is an efficient method to block scams, malicious
software, and prevent device breakdowns.

Also, a robust antivirus protects users from intruders and third-party companies. Most programs detect vulnerable points and empower these critical issues.

#2 Secure Your Identity

Criminals take advantage of personal data they collect online. They steal private files and make fake accounts to benefit. Some hackers steal the
identity to reach a bank account and withdraw amounts no matter how
strong is the bank security.

To exclude such incidents, be careful about the data you provide on the Internet. Be careful or prevent from indicating the following information:

• address and zip codes;
• maiden names of relatives;
• bank account details.
  

Now, when you know how meaningful is this data, you are half protected.

#3 Adjust Strong Passwords

Are you still using the same password across all sites? Quit it!

When you use the same password, or it is easy and short, all your accounts will get in trouble at once. Black hats use fraudulent software to recognise what you type on a keyboard.

Pick different sets of characters for every platform you use. Stay away from choosing the date of your birth, names, address, and pet's nicknames to stay safe. Don't store the keys on your device.

We recommend running password managers to organise hundreds of passwords without overwhelming your mind. Any manager will develop a unique set of characters that will serve as a secure key.

#4 Be Aware of Cookies

Websites, apps, and platforms handle your digital footprints and the history of visits. Your online patterns are collected and analysed to sell for marketing companies and advertisers.

Cookies is a precious material that is legally collected and resold in the future. But the majority of Internet users don't pay attention to Cookies and contribute to annoying ads.

Meanwhile, not all cookies are harmful. To be alerted when your actions are screened, download a privacy software. In this article, we give you a precise guide on the best security tools.

#5 Install a VPN on Your Device

A VPN can provide you with breakthrough anonymity when using the Internet. This technology encrypts the connection making it impossible to recognise an IP, location, and other meta files. A provider supplies a user with a false IP address and location.

A tunnel makes the web surfing private so that fraudsters can't reach the data for shady purposes. Considering the fact that data is end-to-end encrypted, they also can not read what is transferred across the web.

Nowadays, users have a rainbow of options when choosing a VPN service. Explore and pick what suits you; this investment to privacy is worthwhile and pays back!

#6 Disable Your GPS

To keep high-level privacy, turn off the GPS on the phone. This step prevents the apps from tracking your actual location. Some apps, namely popular social media platforms, legally monitor your position when you use them.

Think about the possible risks and physical harm it may cause if the criminals get this info. So, don't accept when an app is asking for geo tagging.

#7 Switch Off The Auto-Fill

The auto-fill seems harmless and comfortable at first sight. But actually, it distracts online privacy.

Every time the service auto-fills a field instead of you, the data you indicated once has to be stored on a server. That is how hackers may steal personal information about you.

Even if this feature saves seconds when entering data, we highly recommend you to give up using it.

#8 Be Conscious About Public Wi-Fi

Wifi surrounds us all around, but joining a hotspot can cause data leakage. Be aware that a public Internet is not a safe method to sign in your accounts, especially social media.

Mind that a hotspot never encrypts the information you enter so that an experienced hacker can reach what you transfer. Don't log in to an online bank or making purchases when sitting on a public network.

When you need to enter a bank account or indicate private data, we recommend you to enable a VPN to encrypt the information.

The Bottom Line

We hope now you understand that browsers, online shops, messengers, and other services amass data to create a precise pattern of your behaviour. To escape the data brokers, and hackers and level up online privacy, follow the rules we gathered in this article.