About 4.95 billion people use the internet today. This number has been growing fast in the past years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. The rise of the internet also means, unfortunately, the rise of cybercrime. Attacks and data breaches cost USD 4.24 million to companies and individuals only last year. We spend more time online than ever before, and browsing safely is becoming as mandatory as walking safely around the streets.
Getting Ready to Sail
If you’ve never spared a thought about your online habits, we invite you to do so right now. What kind of browser do you use? Do you use antiviruses, antimalware, or VPNs? Do you use private or public networks? These simple questions can keep you out of trouble if answered correctly.
You could be playing the best Slingo games on your favourite online casino or entering sensitive banking information on your mobile. A hacker can easily access and track your online habits without a VPN. Fortunately, there are some popular VPNs, such as NordVPN or Surfshark to choose from, that can help protect your online privacy and security.
You don’t walk on the streets of a big city without watching your back, nor do you go to knowingly dangerous neighbourhoods. Why would you do so online? For no reason. Check below a few simple tools you can use to become invisible to prying eyes while online.
VPN
VPNs are a must-have these days. It stands for Virtual Private Network. In practice, it encrypts all your online activities and keeps you away from hackers trying to hijack or pry on your phone. It’s especially necessary to connect via public networks, like airports, tourist points, and cafes.
You could be playing the best Slingo games on your favourite online casino or entering sensitive banking information on your mobile. A hacker can easily access and track your online habits without a VPN.
DNS
DNS is the abbreviation Domain Name System. DNS turns web addresses into IP addresses. Usually, this service is provided by the internet provider, which means your provider knows the websites you visit. Consider picking your DNS provider. There are free options, like Google’s Public DNS and OpenDNS.
Friendly Plugins
Consider installing an AdBlock and a cross-site tracker block on your browser. The AdBlock will spare you from the inconveniences of never-ending pop-up ads. Some websites use trackers that follow you when you leave the page. That’s why you search sneakers once, and out of a sudden, you’re buried in sneakers’ ads. Cross-site tracker blockers are the way to go here.
Unsafe Waters
Here’s what you need to avoid to remain safe online. Get ready for a few surprises.
Unsafe Browsers
Your browser matters a lot for the quality of your navigation. Safari, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge should be avoided due to poor customer data handling. Opera, Mozilla, Tor, and Brave seem to have fewer connections with corporations that harvest customer data.
Gossipy Search Engines
There’s been a surge of smaller search engines with strict privacy policies. It sounds like music when our every online footprint feeds into marketing campaigns. Give engines like Search Encrypt, DuckDuckGo, and Start Page a chance.
Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs)
These are the evil cousins of the friendly plugins. They promise to make your computer faster and cleaner, but all they do is mess up your browser and make your computer dead slow. Only download well-known software from trustworthy sources.
Logging Out
Long gone are the days when mobile phones weren’t subject to cyber-attacks. Mobile phones store a wealth of sensitive information because they’re usually online. Careless browsing can have serious consequences.