Desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones are now integral part of our lives. We use them at home and in workplaces sometimes we haven and use more than one computer. The convenience and uses ofa computer are manifold, but so are the risks and threats.
How to Keep your Computer More Secure with the 9 Simple Tips
Here are a few tips to keep your computers safe and secure:
Regulate your internet time
Most of us keep our computers and internet running all the time even when we don’t use it.
Hackers pay extra attention to users who are always connected to the internet as opposed to those who only use it sporadically.
By switching off your Wi-Fi or internet router when you don’t use it, you make your computer less attractive to malicious criminals.
Get good antivirus software
You can find plenty of free antivirus software available for download and use. However, for the best quality protection, invest in a good quality antivirus software and update it regularly.
Did you know that it’s important to check for updates at least once or twice a day? Or allow the antivirus software to automatically check, update, and restart the computer as and when needed. Microsoft’s Security Essentials which is a built-in protection is good enough for Windows computers.
Always scan USB drives or hard drives for malware/viruses as soon as you plug it in and before you open any files.
Ensure firewall for computer and router
A firewall is a software or hardware that is designed to keep your computer safe from malicious programs and applications. Like with the antivirus software, make sure that the firewall is a good one.
The comforting news is that most commonly used operating systems like Windows and Mac OS come equipped with their own firewall that serves the purpose.
Similarly, ensure that your internet router and modem also have a firewall in place to protect from harmful websites.
Keep your computer updated
It might be a tedious task to check and download updates every day, but this simple step can keep your computer safe from attacks and your computer functioning well for many years.
All operating systems regularly roll out updates including important security patches that you must check and fix equally on a regular basis.
Stay away from shady websites
There are several websites out there that are downright unsafe. The first step to stay away from them is to enable ‘safe web search’ option offered by any of the efficient antivirus software.
Even before you click, you’ll be able to check how safe a site is. If you do inadvertently click on a site, the same antivirus is what will block attacks.
It is easy to identify problematic websites while searching on Google, so staying away from shady and dodgy sites is preventing harm to your computer.
Keep your passwords safe
Be it a bank site, personal mail account, or any other site that you log in to, keep your passwords safe from others’ knowledge and difficult to guess.
The same goes for the security questions. Use different passwords for different accounts and websites.
Also, never store your passwords anywhere, be it the computer or cloud storages. Your brain is the safest place for them!
Never share your computer with strangers
It is never a good practice to lend your laptops to strangers or even colleagues whom you don’t know well.
Also, if you’re in a public place, never leave your computer unattended for even a few minutes.
It takes an expert hacker or criminal only a minute or two to install malicious programs or get hold of sensitive data like credit card information and passwords.
Avoid or limit use of public Wi-Fi
Your local coffee shop or the airport seems to be the ideal place to catch up on your mails because you get Wi-Fi, but beware of public Wi-Fi. Your accounts like Facebook and Twitter might be data-protected but this is not true for all sites.
Most of the data you send and receive over a public network is largely unprotected. Anyone in the vicinity who is tech savvy enough can easily access the websites and accounts you checked and get your passwords. To stay safe, use your own smartphone’s internet connection for a hotspot or use a virtual private network (VPN) device to encrypt your data.
Use only safe browsers
There are many internet browsers each claiming to be better than the other one. However, not all of them are safe.
Google Chrome is one among the safest browsers out there, so you might want to choose it if you’re using anything else.
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