How can you stay safe online? - Life skills
The online world is part of our lives with many of us using the internet for every part of our lives.
But the digital realm is forever changing so however little or a lot we venture online – we should all be taking responsibility to stay security-savvy online.
So here are some steps to help you feel a little safer surfing the net.
Ctrl. Alt. Delete. Whether we head out to lunch, grab a drink or be enticed by cake (I am sure we have all been there!) it would be so easy to walk off and leave our screen unattended. But how many of you lock your screen the moment you are out of reach of your device? Locking your screen is a great measure to ensuring your work maintains being private – this also goes for your phones too!
Be Wi-Fi Wary. If you are working in your office, at school or at home, you can pretty much guarantee that the network is secure and your interaction is as safe as it can be. However, a lot of us may work in different locations – whether we have a meeting in the local coffee shop or managing emails on the train. If you are connected to their Wi-Fi you are risking the content of your device to other people. If you are working on anything confidential or even personal then refrain from the free Wi-Fi that does not protect you!
Passwords. If you can set a tough password – do it. The more passwords you have the harder they will be to hack. Ensure your password has variety; from capital letters to using digits. It is also said that the longer the password the better. Try not to use the same password for everything and it is good practice to change them all annually.
Although they are called passwords – don’t pass this information on to people. Keep them a secret.
Don’t just click. We have all been told not to click on links or attachments that get sent to you and proceed with an air of caution. If you are sent an attachment by someone else always check they have sent you this, or type the web address into the browser yourself. Think before you click.
Keep your desk tidy. You may have files, account details or passwords scribbled down somewhere on your desk. Any of this information could be the gateway for hackers to gain company information. So, eliminate this avenue - with a spring clean.
If you see a suspicious email or your device isn’t acting as normal then always report anything out of the ordinary.
It is also important to know how we can protect friends, family and colleagues to be ready to manage their online presence. If you are worried or want more tips on how to tackle this situation then click here