Christmas is coming. This is a merry, fun time, but we need to take care of the safety of all members of our families for holidays to be cloudless. Information carries a lot of responsibility, and one has to be careful when dealing with data on holidays.
If you are going to buy presents for your friends and relatives online or are looking for themed decorations for the party online, you have to know some holiday shopping safety tips. How to protect yourself on the Internet? Keep reading and discover information security awareness tips that will ensure your security during the most wonderful time of the year.
1. Ignore pop-ups
Pop-up is a reminder that is injected in your browser or the website you surf through. Pop-up windows are created to track the behavior of a particular user. They observe our preferences and desires, track personal information and can bring a lot of danger. How to recognize a pop-up? Usually, they appear in the form of new tab or window. If you see such window emerged in your browser, don’t submit any your data there and close it immediately.
2. Download cyber protector
One of the «must» steps before entering the web on holidays is to download anti-virus program that can protect you from malicious sites and ensure online safety. When starting to use the new computer, most of the users download anti-virus program but fail to update it and check for viruses. But it is not enough to set up a program and keep it working and examining your system. The Internet is full of cheaters, which can infect your computer when you are browsing the web. One way to avoid viruses on the web is to download the program, which will control the surfing process and send you notifications in case something penetrates the system.
3. Create unique passwords
Passwords are your keys to the door or every network. No need to remind, they have to exceptionally unique. Don’t use well-known words or any personal data as a password. Birthdays, children’s names and pets’ nicknames can be easily recognized, and you will be hacked. To avoid this, create a unique combination of words and figures and try to memorize it.
4. Examine the link
Every moment you click the link or type “write my essay for free” you submit some data. Credible from the first sight e-mails can sometimes bring you troubles. You can’t predict where the link will lead you and you can reveal personal information unintentionally. To prevent this happening preview the link and check whether it is reliable or not.
Examine links, which appear in your inbox thoroughly. Those can be spam, but your mail robot may miss them when examining your inbox. Pay attention to the sender and additional information to secure your surf.
5. Check the connection
Every user has to pay much attention to Christmas safety when looking for gifts ideas and buying presents. Before entering credit card details and purchasing some item, make sure to check whether the connection is safe. To do this examine the address: if the URL lacks the last S, which stands for “secure” in HTTPS, you shouldn’t trust this service.
6. Avoid public networks
Public networks can hide a lot of dangers. Especially, if you are accessing your bank account. Your funds can easily be stolen if you display them to an unsecured network. Most of the public networks are not secured enough to conduct payments and purchase presents for friends on holidays. Use your home network to start safe online shopping.
7. Don’t forget to log out
Whenever you are leaving your account, your data can get into hands of ill-wishers. Don’t forget to log out and close the window if you head to another place. Also, set a password for your account on the computer to secure your work with information during holidays.
Lisa Griffin is a writer and enthusiast who loves sharing holiday security tips with others. This woman’s passion is impressing friends and relatives with exclusive gifts. Not surprisingly, Lisa loves online shopping and knows a lot about how to protect oneself on the Internet. Her favorite quote is “Dreams don’t work unless you do.” Lisa is hardworking and curious about everything that surrounds.