National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Useful Tips for Online Safety

Every year since 2003 October has been recognized as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). This effort was brought to life through a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance. NCSAM was created to ensure that every individual stays safe and secure from online threats. So, for the awareness of cyber security, we are here to provide Internet users with some simple ways to increase cyber awareness, be it in personal or professional life. Let’s have a quick review-

• Choose all your passwords wisely. Create the ones which are unique and hard to guess. One can try using a paraphrase for creating a password. Also, don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Before downloading anything over the Internet, make sure to read all the terms and conditions very carefully. Check for the software and website hosting it.
• Never install a software which comes as an attachment in an email. The attachment can be a malicious malware to steal your sensitive data.
• Never click on suspicious links or attachments. Clicking on such links can be risky for you as it can lead to phishing attacks. To avoid such attacks, run a reliable security software on your device.
• It’s always better to delete old accounts which are not in use to protect your personalized information from cyber-crooks.
• Updating your operating system and software such as Java, Adobe, web browser, etc., on a regular basis in a good practice to keep threats and vulnerabilities at bay.
• Shop only from reputed and known online stores. Websites that use https with a padlock are secure. Conduct a background check on the website to take a look whether the site is safe or not.
• Use a security software which offers multi-layered protection such as anti-spam, anti-spyware, anti-malware and more.
• Change your Internet banking passwords on regular basis. Make sure not to share your passwords with anyone, not even with your loved ones.
• Check your bank statements on a regular basis to prevent any fraudulent act.
• Public Wi-Fi hotspots are convenient but can be risky too. While using a public Wi-Fi, be aware of your surroundings. Also, use a VPN to stay protected.
• Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and location services when not in use so that the current location of a user can’t be tracked by cyber-hackers.
• Installing mobile apps that ask for unnecessary permissions can make a device prone to malicious threats and vulnerabilities. Beware!
• Use 2FA for all your online accounts. 2FA adds the extra layered security that requires not only a password and a username but also something which only a user is aware of.
• Backup your important data on a regular basis and store them in a safe place.

Stay Aware, Stay Safe!