A basic knowledge of internet security is essential for anyone who uses the web for tasks such as email, networking and shopping. Some of the best tips for internet security including regularly changing passwords, not using the same password for every website and keeping an up-to-date firewall running at all times. It’s also a good idea to never click on links in emails that go to login pages as these can easily be faked.
The most important internet security tip is to download or buy a high-quality personal firewall and anti-virus software package. These aren’t able to protect a computer from all attacks but will dramatically reduce the chance of a computer becoming infected or compromised. Although there are plenty of free options available — some are of a reasonable quality — it’s usually best to pay for software if it is protecting important data. Even if a person doesn’t feel he or she has anything important to protect a basic firewall is still essential.
Phishing attacks are when a hacker attempts to trick a user into entering his or her login details into a fake form. This is often achieved by sending an email containing a link to a page that looks exactly like a popular website such as PayPal or Amazon. For this reason a person should always check the link by hovering over it before clicking. In the bottom corner of the browser the true website address will be shown. As a general rule of internet security, clicking links to login pages should be avoided in order to reduce the chance of making a mistake.
E-mail attachments are another potential source of threats. Spam email attachments may contain viruses or trojans that can infect a computer. For this reason unless an email is coming from a trusted source an attachment should never be opened. If an email looks suspicious then even if it is from a trusted source it should be verified before opening. Many types of anti-virus software come with an automatic system for scanning email attachments but they are not always completely effective.
An essential internet security tip is to always keep virus and firewall software up to date. New threats appear on a daily basis and the best software updates its virus definitions just as regularly. Anti-virus software which is out of date will not be s effective at blocking potential threats. Some types of anti-virus software come with an automatic update system which should usually be enabled.