Hack-Me-Not: 7 Steps to Avoid being Hacked Online

All around the world, more and more people are using computers and other devices that are connected to the internet. People rely on the internet to do almost everything, every day. Some use the internet to go shopping, play games, connect with relatives and loved ones that are far away from them, etc. These are just a few things you can do when you’re online.

Most people like their online presence to be private and far from prying eyes. These “eyes” have more capabilities than just “see” your online activity. Hackers as they’re more famously known, can infiltrate your bank accounts, steal your identity, and cause severe problems for you and other people online as well.
When you go online, it’s always important to point out that you need to be safe and be aware of the things that could potentially harm you when browsing online. Here are some tips for you to navigate safely without risking any potential information to hackers online:

Keep Your Passwords Secure

First and foremost, you and you alone should know the passwords to your accounts online. Never share a password with anyone, even if you trust them. It’s not about ruining friendships or relationships, but it’s about limiting contact with sites online that you use your accounts.

Hackers can know that someone else is using your own password just by looking at how browsing behavior when online. To limit that, you should never share accounts and passwords even with friends or family.

Using Trusted Devices

Always use a trusted device when using your accounts online. A lot of people now have access to military-grade technology that allows them to use computer systems to infiltrate “bugged” devices that are readily available to the general public.

Make sure that your devices come from reputable manufacturers and they aren’t hard copies of the original devices. Counterfeit products are easy to modify and easy to sell because of their deceptively low prices. Not only are you risking your personal data online, but you’re also wasting your money when you use cheap rip-offs.

Beware of ClickbaitMost of the time, we’re tempted to click on links that promise us excellent content. Most of the time, it isn’t awesome content, and you’re redirected to some unknown website that offers products to you.

Avoid clicking such links as they could lead to more malicious websites that can gather your personal information. You can inspect a link by hovering your mouse over and looking at the bottom page for a preview of its address. You can know if a link is legit if it’s the actual website or page address it’s displaying.

Making use of Authenticators 

It may seem tiresome for others but using another way to authenticate your logins can drastically reduce a hacker’s chance of logging in your accounts. Authenticators are good ways to keep your online accounts safe by using another source to confirm your login.
Authenticators may use your phone, other devices, alternate emails, etc. to confirm your identity when logging in. Some authenticators also display unique codes that you can enter personally. Don’t see it two-step authenticators as a hindrance; they just might be the last line to keep your accounts safe from prying hands.

Creating Strong Passwords

Just by using strong passwords, you can evade even the most clever hackers around. Most of the time, people use easy to remember things such as birthdays, mother’s maiden names, favorite color, favorite food, etc. Believe it or not, a lot of hackers still type in passwords they can cleverly figure out.
Create strong passwords by mixing up numbers and letters, using capitalization, punctuation marks, phrases, things that only you should know.
Using Password Managers or Vaults

Password managers are offline apps you can download on your phone to help you manage complicated passwords for your individual accounts. These apps have UI or User Interfaces which makes it easy for you to organize your passwords, according to your account.

Avoiding “Seemingly Harmless Things Online”

There’s a trend today, especially on social networking sites about pages or apps that offer fun services such as “Who are you in another life” or “What do you like in 10 years.” There are a lot of fun pages that offer these seemingly simple services, but online experts say that some malicious groups use these services to collect data and photos of unsuspecting people.
They then use this gathered information as they see fit. What’s dangerous is that most people are doing it nowadays which can easily tempt others in their social network to do it as well. Don’t give in the urge and stay safe online.
Takeaway

Most of us like our online activities to ourselves. However, with a lot of advances in today’s technology, a lot of people can easily see and use your personal data online when you’re not careful. To avoid the hassle and serious problems associated with identity theft and online problems, always be careful and take note of the tips mentioned above.

Author Bio:

Adam Jones is a writer and blogger who enjoys writing about technology. He uses his knowledge by using of effective equipments such as  CP Tech rugged computer systems  to do his job properly. In his free time, Adam enjoys playing basketball and reading books .