When the World Wide Web first came to life in the 1990s it opened up new possibilities as well as a whole new set of threats. Spam was a major cause of email disruption and computer viruses wreaked chaos on corporate networks and hacking was a significant issue. Hackers can steal your personal data and take over your online or credit card account, and sell it on the dark web.
Your online life is more complicated than ever. You’re using your smartphone, you shop online and transfer money online, you’re a user of Facebook and Twitter, and even your internet-connected home appliances and IoT devices are tracking and report on your activities. All of this data can be accessed by hackers, whether they’re part of a criminal organization or a lone idealist with an agenda for politics.
To protect against hackers, make strong passwords for each of your online accounts. You should also utilize a password manager with security to keep the track of them. Consider using two-step authentication. This adds an additional layer of security, requiring you enter a code sent via phone or email in addition to your login password. Secure your hard drive to make it more difficult for hackers to gain access into your private information, even if they do take control of your computer or mobile device. Don’t jailbreak or root your smartphone, and don’t keep your computer running all day. This can affect the performance of your device and make the door to cyberattacks. With the proper software tools for malware screening deinstalling, data encryption, you can reduce the risk of being a victim.