Six Tips For Internet Safety In 2024

Internet safety is something that you should be always be mindful of especially in 2024. With the growing prevalence of the internet, there are more online risks than ever that you should be wary of. There are certain steps you can take in order to strengthen your awareness and measures you can use to boost safety in your online navigation. Here are six tips for internet safety this year. Follow these tips and hopefully you’ll  be able to improve your online security in 2024 and beyond.

Choose Strong Passwords
A good place to start when it comes to internet safety is choosing strong passwords. Password security is integral to keeping your personal information safe, especially when it comes to information you really don’t want being shared like your banking details, for example. Choosing a strong password shouldn’t be too difficult but when you need to create a new password for each login, it can be quite the challenge to track and remember them all.

Try to opt for longer passwords that you can remember and have a personal meaning to you. Try not to be  too general with your passwords though. Some of your ideas might be a little too simple making them easy to guess, like your children’s names or your birth year. You can also use a password manager to help you generate strong and secure passwords and safely keep track of them as well.

Strengthen Your Security With A Firewall
Your firewall security is important, so it’s good to be mindful of the security you currently have in place. There are many firewall software companies nowadays, so it’s good to look for ones that are performing well when it comes to providing a secure service for all their clients. Some might be more specialized and geared towards large companies, while others are better suited for personal household use. Be mindful of your current security as well as it's features and cost. While affordability is crucial for many, you will want a service that provides the best security for your peace of mind.

Be Wary Of The Websites You Visit
The amount of websites in existence on the internet nowadays is exponential to what it once was in the internet’s infancy. There are so many websites out there. While that’s a good thing in a way, it can also pose a threat to anyone, no matter how proficient you are when it comes to the internet. With that being said, you should be wary of the websites you visit. 

Whether it’s to play mahjong or to buy a new piece of furniture, be careful of the websites you’re accessing. If it the site looks a little too good to be true when buying something, chances are it’s a scam and you’re not going to get what you paid for. It also might put your financial security at risk. Try to limit the number of websites you’re accessing on a daily basis and make sure that they're reputable. You can also use settings from your internet provider or browser to set up warnings for potentially dangerous sites online so that you can avoid them. Many can flag malicious sites before you even click on them on the search engine results.

Perform All The Necessary Software Updates
Software updates are something that you should be mindful of and make sure you stay on top of to avoid risking your computer or electronic devices. The same goes for any software that you’ve downloaded from the internet.  To help keep your devices safe, you should regularly refresh your systems so that you can be aware of any new updates required. This should be done on a daily basis where possible. By staying on top of updates, you’re going to help keep your devices secure from cyber threats, an ever-growing threat online nowadays. If you struggle to keep up with the updates, you can set a reminder in your calendar so that you can stay on top of it in the future or you can even opt to set up automatic updates.

Backup Your Data Regularly
Finally, to help keep your data and information safe, you should backup your data regularly. Backing up your data is going to help ensure your information is protected and that should it be stolen, lost, or damaged, you can easily recover your files through the saved backup. Nowadays it is quite common for  backup data to be stored on the cloud which can be automated so you might want to do that and not even have to worry about it..

Internet safety is crucial and important now more than ever before. The more proactive you are when it comes to your security the better. These are just a few ideas, so use these to your advantage to protect yourself and your online safety this year.

This is a contributed post.

Photo: Burst