Six Fool-Proof Ways to Be Safe Online

In today's wired world, you cannot be too safe.  Every day, viruses, worms, spyware and other types of malware pose a threat to each of us – or to our computer systems, that is.  They can enter our computers, steal whatever information we’ve stored, get our credit card details, and basically monitor our every activity online.  What’s more, they use our resources to replicate itself and victimize other people: friends, family, and colleagues.

This is the reason why it is best to be safe when you are online.  Here are the top six ways to practice definite security online.

1. Get a good anti-virus and anti-malware software.  You may think that anti-virus programs only protect you online, but they are actually quite effective in preventing an infection.  Most viruses, worms and trojans come to your computer when you are online, via e-mail attachments or by visiting an infected Web site.  A good anti-virus program not only disinfects and cleans your system, but it also prevents an infection from happening or spreading in the first place.

2. Get the latest browsers.  Whether you are using Mozilla's Firefox browser, Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser or Google's Chrome browser, it is a good practice to, always keep your browser updated.  The latest versions of these browsers now have built-in anti-phishing capabilities that inform you whenever you enter a dangerous Web site.  Phishing and spoofing are two of the biggest problems in security and have led to the loss of money as well as the theft of user names, passwords and other information.  And it usually involves a bogus Web site that looks like a legitimate Web site of some company, say PayPal.  Potential victims are lured into these bogus Web sites where they are asked to enter their log-in names and password and ask for certain information like banking details and credit card details.  Phishers then use this information to defraud other people, make purchases using your credit card data, or simply steal the money you have in your online bank account.  

More than stopping phishers and spoofers, getting the latest browsers also means that it has fewer vulnerabilities, and that previously identified security holes have been plugged, making your browser more secure and more able to fight attacks from hackers and viruses.

3. Be up-to-date with security updates and patches.  Most operating systems have security holes in their codes that could be used to attack your system.  These vulnerabilities, when exploited, could figuratively open a door for attackers into your system and make it easier for them to install viruses or backdoors into your computer.  Fortunately, manufacturers of operating systems like Linux and Microsoft often send out updates to make sure that these security threats are properly addressed.  Moreover, it is free and easy to download and install these security patches.

4. Use a firewall.  A firewall filters traffic coming from and going out of your computer.  Firewalls prevent people from accessing and having complete control of your computer, which they could use for their own personal means like sending spam or making it part of a bot network.

5. Use a strong password.  The rule of thumb is that your password should be random, and not easy to guess.  It should be more than eight characters or longer and contains uppercase and lower case letters, numbers and accepted symbols.  

The same goes for security questions that serviced like to ask in case you lose your password.  Choose an obscure question, or one whose answer is not easy to guess.  Choosing "Where is your hometown" as a security question would make it easy for people you grew up with to guess, or even strangers looking at your Facebook profile.

6. Educate yourself.  Because phishers, viruses, hackers get more and more resourceful and creative every single day, it is not enough to just follow these security measures and safety protocols.  You would have to educate yourself to know what an attack would look like so that you could avoid it.  

Learn more about security both online and offline, and know what is possible and impossible.  Make sure that you are aware when to doubt, for example, an e-mail attachment you have just received.