Your presence on the internet is volatile. And once you’re logged in, prevention is miles better than cure. All the talk about hackers preying on users’ data has finally made people more aware of the looming threats, and they are starting to adopt internet security solutions to protect their online presence. But this, quite literally, comes at a cost.
Whether you are a casual user of the internet or you have businesses running online, the cost of internet security solutions is always something worth pondering. After all, if there are ways that you can secure your online presence without emptying your wallets, you’d like to know about them. Here are a few to get you started.
Choose Stronger Passwords
Passwords are the easiest way for attackers to compromise your data. It might be surprising to some, but 24 percent of Americans use passwords like “password,” “Qwerty” and “123456.” Even worse, 67 percent of all Americans use the same password for different online accounts. If you use business websites, social media platforms, etc., your passwords are even more vulnerable as up-and-coming businesses are much more liable to attacks. This is because of the lack of security infrastructure in most new businesses.
You can avoid being a target by not using easy-to-guess passwords, such as your birthday or your dog’s name. Try to include uppercase and lowercase letters along with special characters and digits. A short password with these specifications is stronger than a long password that spells out your favorite movie’s name.
Use Credible Encryption Algorithms
When you share confidential information between the website and the browser, there is a need for encryption. Meaning, you don’t want the data you share between the site and the browser to be intercepted by malicious attackers. So, you let the system convert your data to unreadable code and prevent unauthorized access. This process is called encryption.
However, in order to keep hackers away from your code or any other sensitive information, you need to make use of encryption algorithms. Ever noticed “HTTPS” before your website URL? That is an encryption algorithm and opens up a secure channel in a network that might not be prone to attacks. HTTPS makes use of SSL protocols, which further help avoid phishing frauds.
Identity Theft Protection Services
Before an attack finds its way to you, you must strengthen your defense systems. One of the many such worthy investments is subscribing to an identity theft protection service, like Norton with LifeLock. These services are your one-stop solution to a wide array of cybersecurity issues. At nominal prices, you can:
- Keep track of your Social Security numbers.
- Monitor all activity related to your credit.
- Secure multiple devices at once.
- Access VPN from multiple devices.
- Stay aware of data breaches.
And these are just some of the many options you can avail yourself with by investing in identity theft protection services. Right now, you can take advantage of this LifeLock Ultimate Plus promotion, which gives you 25 percent off your first year.
Make Your Identity Bulletproof
The lengths cybercriminals go to only to compromise one user can be astonishing, but with the reach of the internet being more broad than ever, the record-high cybercrime scenarios are old news. This makes it crucial for you to take all the necessary steps you can to protect your online presence. Starting from picking the right passwords for your logins to subscribing to identity theft protection services, you can do quite a lot to make your online identity bulletproof without spending a significant amount.
Nikhil Kore