How to stay safe on the internet

The internet is an integral part of day-to-day life in the 21^st century. It has many benefits, including increasing jobs, offering a wealth of online activities and making it easier for people to connect with friends and family like never before. Although the internet has so many positives, many people have concerns about its safety.

In this guide, we look at some of the best ways to ensure you stay safe and secure on the internet; read on to learn more.

Ways to stay safe on the internet:

• Use strong passwords
• Have 2-step verification turned on
• Only visit secure websites
• Make sure you update your browser regularly
• Don’t click on unrecognisable links
• Have anti-virus and firewall software installed

Use strong passwords

Most websites now require us to create a password to purchase or browse their services, but this is only beneficial if the passwords you create are secure and reliable. Passwords often come with requirements, but make sure your passwords are unique and contain capitals, symbols and numbers to make them as safe as possible.

It is crucial that all your passwords for different websites are unique. This is important because if your password is compromised on one website and is the same across all other websites, it is easier for your data or payment details to be used. It is also wise to never share your password with anyone and to make sure you are changing your passwords on a regular basis.

If you are using Chrome, Google will often suggest a strong password for you to use and will save it so auto-fill can be used in the future. This can be a great way to ensure you have strong passwords, and the auto-fill means you don’t need to remember them all!

Have 2-step verification turned on

Two factor-verification is an extra level of security for your data on the internet. When logging into a website, it asks you for a code that can be sent to your mobile or email that only you will have access to. This means that even if your password is compromised, people can’t access your account information.

Two-factor authentication isn’t automatically turned on, you will need to go into the settings and manually activate it, but it is a great way of keeping your data secure when it’s available.

Only visit secure websites

Not all websites will be secure, so if you’re trying to stay as safe as possible, ensure you only visit reputable and secure websites. You can ensure a website’s security by looking for an HTTPS URL (a website address that starts with HTTPS rather than just HTTP) and the secure connection padlock that will appear alongside it. Although this can’t guarantee total security, it will definitely give you a good indication as to whether a website is safe to make a payment on.

Some easy things to look for on a website that often means reliability are a simple URL, a good social media presence, correct spelling and grammar, a good name and a present privacy policy (usually linked to at the bottom of the website).

If you do want easy peace of mind, you can enter the website’s address into Google’s Transparency Report, and it will inform you as to whether there is any indication the site could be unsafe in a matter of seconds.

Make sure you update your browser regularly

First of all, make sure you are using a reliable browser like Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge; these browsers come with additional security that will help against web threats.

But to enable these to work as they should, you need to update them as and when promoted. Browsers often comes out with updates which may not automatically install these, so keep an eye out for update notifications when browsing the web. Or, see if you can set up automatic installation.

Don’t click on unrecognisable links

One of the ways that scammers are trying to access people’s data and information is by pretending to be well-known brands, mainly delivery brands like Royal Mail, UPS and Evri. Scammers add links to these emails that prompt you to add your card details to ensure the delivery is made.

Suppose you are ever unsure about a link. In that case, it is always advisable to head to the website directly or call customer service rather than clicking a link and risking it being unreliable.

So, if you get an email from the Royal Mail, for example, saying you need to pay a fee before your parcel is delivered, simply call the Royal Mail directly an ask, rather than just going off of the information in the email you’ve been sent.

Have anti-virus and firewall software installed

If you’re on the internet often, it is probably wise to have some form of anti-virus or firewall software installed onto your computer. Anti-virus is, as the name suggests, software that stops viruses from being downloaded and affecting your computer.

Anti-virus software can be paid for and installed from the internet, and some of the best variations include McAfee, Avira, Avast and Norton Antivirus.

If you know an elderly relative or friend who wants to ensure they’re staying safe online and in their home, hopefully, this guide has helped offer some tips and advice. If you’re also looking to secure their safety in the home, then Handicare Stairlifts UK offers a wide range of stairlifts that offer independence in the home.

For more articles like this, make sure you check out our blog.