Want to stay safe on the internet? These internet safety tips will protect your computer and smartphone from cyberattacks and malware.
Staying safe on the internet has never been more important.
- Data breaches are happening more often than ever.
- Every year, over 60 million Americans fall victim to identity theft.
- In 2018, 62% of businesses experienced some form of phishing or social engineering attacks.
And yet, even in 2021, most people don’t adhere to basic internet safety practices. In fact, the average person reuses one password over 14 times! This poor practice means that if one account gets hacked, the attacker can gain access to many others.
Want to stay safe on the internet, and avoid the risk of cyberattacks?
In this article, we’re going to cover 19 essential internet safety tips. Let’s get started.
19 Essential Internet Safety Tips
1. Protect Your Privacy
In 2021, some of the apps and websites you’re using are probably collecting your personal information to target you with ads.
Want to regain your privacy? Here are some things you can do:
- Use a VPN. You can use a VPN to hide your IP address and encrypt your internet activity, making it hard for third-party companies to track your activity.
- Use an adblocker. You can use an ad blocker to block out unwanted advertisements on the internet.
2. Avoid Shady Websites
Visiting questionable websites is a very easy way for your computer to come down with a virus.
Websites that offer copyrighted content for free are usually the number one suspect for this.
After all, they have to make money somehow, right? Well, to make money, they spread viruses and use their victim’s computers for malicious purposes.
3. Use a Password Management System
Using a password management system allows you to stay safe from data breaches.
You create one password for the password management system, and it creates randomly generated passwords for all the other websites you frequent.
If any of these websites are breached, only the password for that specific website gets leaked. This strategy ensures that all of your other logins are safe, and all you have to do is change your compromised password.
But what happens when a password management system gets hacked? You can rest assured that it likely won’t. These websites use advanced encryption and security standards to keep your passwords safe.
Some of the most popular password management systems you can try include:
4. Be On The Lookout For Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are a very popular form of social engineering.
Hackers send you a fake email, posing as legitimate communication from a service you use, and ask you to take some kind of action. Usually, that action is to click some sort of link and enter a set of credentials.
If you click a link in the email, though, you’re going to be:
- Redirected to a virus-infected website, or;
- Taken to a clone of the website you were visiting, asking you to log in and update your bank account information. But of course, this information goes straight to the hacker.
Staying safe from phishing scams is relatively straightforward — all you need to do is pay attention to the email sender.
If the email is from Facebook, the email would be from [email]@facebook.com. If it’s a phishing scam, it’s probably going to look something like:
So, always double-check the sender.
5. Use a VPN
A VPN can enhance your anonymity on the internet and protect you from cyberattacks.
Here’s how it works:
#1. VPNs Hide Your IP.
An IP address is a unique set of numbers attached to your computer network.
All of your internet activity can be traced back to this IP address by a third party (i.e. your internet service provider, apps that log data, etc.).
By using a VPN, you’re connecting the internet with one of the VPN’s IP addresses instead of yours. Meaning, your online activity can’t be traced back to you.
#2. VPNs Encrypt Your Data.
Whenever you visit a website or use an app, there’s a two-way data exchange.
You send a request from your computer, and the website sends back information to you.
In some cases, hackers can intercept this exchange and steal the contents within them.
If you’re using a VPN, though, your information is encrypted. Meaning, the hacker won’t be able to read it (and neither will your internet service provider).
For more information on how a VPN can protect you from hackers, check out our article.
IPVanish is an industry-leading VPN provider.
We offer advanced encryption standards, 1,500+ servers in 75+ locations, for all platforms (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, etc.).
Want to give it a go? Our prices start as low as $10.99 per month!
6. Use an Antivirus
This one’s pretty self-explanatory — using an antivirus can protect you from cyberattacks and viruses.
In 2021, there are many potential virus threats on the internet:
- Ransomware: This type of virus encrypts all the data and files you have on your computer, and demands for a ransom for the encryption key if you want them back. Usually, the encryption is so strong that the only way to get the files back is by paying.
- Backdoor: A backdoor virus, as the name implies, is a virus that opens backdoor access to your computer for the hacker. A hacker can access your PC whenever they need to, steal your personal information, and even make your computer a part of their personal bot army.
- Keyloggers: A keylogger tracks the keys you press on your computer. Meaning, whenever you log into any of your accounts, the hacker steals your user credentials.
Theoretically, you can protect yourself from viruses by being careful on the internet, but you can always make a mistake. You might, for example, download a file that looks legitimate, but it’s actually infected with a virus.
This is called a Trojan virus, and, unfortunately, it’s very common.
The most reliable way to protect yourself from viruses is by using an antivirus product.
Not sure which antivirus to go with? We recommend VIPRE.
7. Use a Strong Password
The most common password in 2019 was “123456.”
The second most common? “123456789”
Most websites recommend using a strong, safe password, but too many people disregard this advice.
If you want to stay safe on the internet, this one’s a big no-no.
Hackers use something called a brute force attack to hack accounts with simple passwords. Meaning, they run scripts/bots which keep trying the most common passwords (from a list supplied to them) on the emails they’re trying to hack.
Eventually, if your password is something very simple, you will get hacked.
We recommend going with a password that’s unique (as opposed to reusing a password,) and contains a random combination of numbers, letters, and special characters.
Try the IPVanish Password Generator the next time you need to create a strong, unique password.
8. Backup Your Data
If you want to make sure that your data is safe, you have to back it up online.
There are so many ways your data can get corrupted:
- You become a target of a ransomware attack. Your data gets encrypted by the hacker, and only released if you pay them a ransom.
- If your hard drive gets damaged, you’ll have to pay good money to recover your data.
- Even a simple system update can backfire and end with your personal data becoming corrupted and unrecoverable.
The most surefire way to avoid losing your data is to back it up through a cloud storage service like SugarSync.
9. Be Careful with Public Wi-Fi
Chances are, you use public Wi-Fi quite often.
You might, for example, study online in your favorite coffee shop, or browse the internet at an airport.
Whatever your case might be, by hopping on to an open network, you expose yourself to risks from a cyber attack.
Most public Wi-Fi networks are not safe. Here are just a couple of things a hacker can do to intercept your connection, and steal your personal information:
- MITM attack: If Wi-Fi security is not up to date, the hacker can intercept your connection and spy on your internet activity. If it’s not already encrypted, they can steal things like your account credentials, or banking information if you make an online purchase.
- Fake Wi-Fi: A hacker can create a fake Wi-Fi signal through their laptop, and name it something similar to the venue’s Wi-Fi. If you connect to this fake network, the hacker can intercept all data you send out or force connections through DNS hijacking.
Here’s what we recommend if you want to safely use public Wi-Fi:
- Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, encrypts all your outgoing data. So, even if a hacker does intercept the connection, they won’t be able to view its contents.
- Double-check the Wi-Fi: Check with the venue staff and ensure that the Wi-Fi hotspot you’re connected to is legitimate.
- Avoid visiting important websites or apps: Don’t, for example, check your recent transactions with Chase Bank when using public Wi-Fi.
Want to learn more about how to stay safe on public Wi-Fi? Check out our article.
10. Protect Your Home Wi-Fi
If your home Wi-Fi network is open and unprotected, you’re still at risk of getting hacked.
Here are some of our best tips on how to secure your home Wi-Fi :
- Change your default network username and password. Most routers come with a default username and password that anyone can find on the internet.
- Turn on wireless network protection. It encrypts the data transferred over the Wi-Fi network, protecting it from being intercepted.
- Use a strong Wi-Fi password that can’t be brute-forced.
11. Use Different Passwords for Different Websites
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the average person uses a single password for around 14 different websites.
If any of these websites are compromised, the hacker would gain access to the credentials for most other websites you have an account with.
To prevent this from happening, use different passwords for every website you log into. And if you’re having trouble remembering all of them, use a password management system.
12. Stick to HTTPS Websites
When shopping online, only make purchases from websites that are secure.
You can often check this by looking at the URL: is it HTTPS, or HTTP?
If it’s HTTPS, it usually means that the website is secure. If it’s HTTP, on the other hand, it means that you should think twice before making a purchase.
13. Be on the Lookout for Social Scams
Many fake profiles on most social media advertise get-rich-quick schemes.
Examples include investing in cryptocurrencies, day trading, foreign exchange markets, and everything in between.
If a social persona is contacting you or sharing posts about products to purchase, be sure to check the details in-depth. Ensure that the profile is real and what is sold is legitimate by looking for real user reviews and engagement with followers.
But if the same link appears all over a person’s profile with no additional activity, then chances are it’s a scam.
14. Keep Your Antivirus Updated
Using an antivirus is a great way to protect yourself from cyberattacks, and it’s essential to keep it updated at all times. After all, new computer viruses pop up all the time.
Antivirus companies work hard to keep their software up to date to counter new threats; and to ensure that you’re getting the best out of the antivirus software, you need to ensure that it’s up-to-date.
15. Educate Your Kids
When it comes to internet safety, kids are usually the weakest link.
It’s very important to educate them on how to stay safe online and encourage them to ask you questions if they come across something sketchy.
The most essential internet safety tips for kids include:
- Don’t give out personal information on the internet, such as your name, address, and phone number.
- Don’t share passwords with anyone except for trusted grownups.
- Don’t post something you wouldn’t want your family to see.
- Don’t open messages from people you don’t know.
- Don’t talk to strangers on the internet.
- Don’t download or install any files without permission.
- Always tell a trusted adult if anyone you’re talking to seems scary.
16. Use a Parental Control App
To make sure that your child follows these internet safety tips, you can also install a parental control app.
These apps allow you to:
- Monitor your child’s online activity.
- Block explicit image results on search engines.
- Block questionable or unsecured websites & apps.
17. Don’t Give Out Your Password
Never give your password to anyone on the internet, even if they claim to be from a specific website or game you use.
An account admin for a legitimate service can easily manage your account without ever requesting your credential.
If they are asking you for your account credentials, that means it’s probably a phishing scam, and they’re trying to steal your account.
18. Don’t Download Shady Files
It shouldn’t have to be said, but only download movies, games, or media types of files from legitimate sources. That doesn’t usually include P2P networks, forums, or NNTP sources.
Otherwise, you run the risk of infecting your computer with a virus.
19. Don’t Give Out Personal Information
It’s not just internet safety tips for kids. You can never really know if the person you’re talking to online is really who they claim to be.
If you give out your personal information to a stranger on the internet, there’s a logical chance that they can use it to find even more information about you.
Internet Safety Tips: FAQ
#1. Why Is Internet Safety Important?
It’s important to practice internet safety etiquette because it:
- Protects you from cyberattacks.
- Ensures that your computer doesn’t get infected with a virus.
- Protects you from ransomware scams.
- Keeps you and your family safe from doxing.
#2. What Are the Essential Tools for Internet Safety?
The following tools can seriously help ensure your safety on the internet:
- Antivirus: Even if a file you install has a hidden virus in it, an antivirus will quarantine it and delete it for you.
- VPN: VPNs help you stay safe on the internet and increase anonymity by hiding your IP address and encrypting your connection.
- Password management system: This type of software helps ensure that you use a different password for every account, thus protecting you from brute force attacks following a data breach.
- Parental control app: You can use a parental control app to help ensure that your kids are only connected to content deemed safe.
Now, let’s recap all the important things we just covered:
- Practice the internet safety tips outlined above to stay protected online.
- Don’t visit questionable websites, open messages from strangers, or download files from illegitimate sources.
- Use an antivirus to protect yourself from computer infections.
- Use a VPN in order to protect yourself from public Wi-Fi hacks and to ensure your privacy on the internet.