Ransomware adequately blocks your PC until you pay the cash. A piece of information taking Trojan lifts all your protected logins. Your SSN can be stolen or leaked, and someone tries to use your medical insurance. Your credit card details can be compromised so that hackers start taking your money without you even knowing. Quite several things can be good reasons to protect your money and identity online.

These 13 hints for being progressively secure in your online life will help keep you safer. Identity theft is never a fun situation, and by taking proactive measures to protect your personal information, you can help prevent identity theft from happening to you.

1. Use Passcodes Even When They Are Optional

Apply a passcode lock wherever available, even if it’s optional. Passcodes improve your internet security measures by increasing offline safety of your device. Think of all the personal data and connection on your smartphone. Going without passcode lock is unimaginable.

Numerous cell phones offer a four-digit PIN by default. Try not to use that. Use biometric verification when accessible, and set a robust password, not an idiotic four-digit PIN.

Present day iOS gadgets offer a six digits choice. Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and select Change Passcode (or Add Passcode if you don’t have one). Enter your old password, if necessary. On the screen to enter the new password, then record it as a secure note in your password manager.

Different Android gadgets offer various ways of setting a robust password. Discover the Screen Lock settings on your device, enter your old PIN, and pick a password ( if accessible). Likewise, with the iOS gadgets, include an unbroken secret key and record it as a safe note.

2. Always Do Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication can be a pain, but it makes your account more secure. Two-factor authentication means you need to pass another layer of authentication, not just a username and password, to get into your accounts. If the data or personal information in an account is sensitive or valuable, and the account offers two-factor authentication, you should enable it. To be more secure online you need to enable 2FA on your every account. 

Gmail, Evernote, and Dropbox are a few examples of online services that provide two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication checks your status utilizing at least two different forms of authentication: something you are, something you have, or something you know. You might be asked to enter a code sent via text or tap a verification button on a mobile app. Something you have could also be a physical security key; Google and Microsoft have announced a push towards this kind of authentication.

3. Use Unique Passwords for Every Login

One of the simplest ways hackers hijack data is by getting a batch of a username and password sequence from one source and trying that same combination elsewhere. For example, let’s say hackers got your username and password by hacking an email provider. They might try to log into banking sites or significant online stores using the same username and password combination. The single best way to prevent one info breach from having a domino effect is to use a robust and unique password for every free online account you have.

Also Read : 5 Tips To Make Your Password Strong And Manage Them Securely

Creating a unique and strong password for every account is not a job for a human — that way you use a password manager. Several outstanding password managers are free, and it takes little time to start using one. For-pay password managers generally offer more features. Password managers with different unique passwords for every website is a must for internet safety.

When you use a password manager, the only password you need to remember is the master password that secures the password manager itself. When unlocked, the password manager logs you into your online accounts automatically. That not only helps keep you safer but also increases your efficiency and productivity. You no need to spend time typing your logins or dealing with the time-consuming frustration of resetting a forgotten password.

4. Utilize Different Email Addresses for Different Kinds of Accounts

Individuals who are both extraordinarily composed and precise about their security regularly utilize different email addresses for various purposes, to keep the online characters related to them autonomous. On the off chance that a phishing email professing to be from your bank goes to the record you utilize just for web-based social networking, you know it’s affected.

Not only your password needs to be unique and different for each of the accounts you create but also your email. If all your accounts have separate emails even in case one of them is compromised it wouldn’t give up your real email. Unique emails for every account are the best online security measures that protect your online identity against data breaches.

Consider keeping up one email address committed to agreeing to accept applications that you need to attempt, however, which may have flawed security, or which may spam you with limited time messages. After you’ve checked an organization or application, join utilizing one of your lasting emails to get spam, close it, and make another one. This is a do-it-without anyone else’s help form of the covered messages you get from Abine Blur, Joinesty.com, Figleafapp.com, and other expendable email account administration.

Numerous destinations compare your email address with your username, yet some give you a chance to choose your very own username. Consider utilizing an alternate username unfailingly-hello; your secret key director recalls that it! Presently anybody attempting to get into your record must conjecture both the username and the secret key.

5. Use Protected Payment Method

If you want to avoid your data being at risk, you don’t have too many options. The safest bet is to stop using your computer, shred your credit cards, but everything in cash, and maybe even live off-the-grid. This isn’t exactly feasible for most consumers, of course, so luckily there’s an alternative method, we can use masked credit cards. Masked cards are the best way to protect online transactions. Hackers can’t steal money from your real payment method because you keep it private and only share exposable card details. Even if exposed or leaked, the masked cart wouldn’t compromise any sensitive financial data while keeping your money secure online.

Now, what exactly is a masked card, A masked card service will provide you with a one-time-use credit card number upon request. You can then use that temporary card number, expiration date, and security code to make a purchase online and in-store. Once you’ve used the card combination, it will no longer be valid. You can get masked cards at privacy.com.

6. Always Clear Your Cache  

Never underestimate how important your browser’s cache knows about you. Saved cookies, saved searches, and web history could point to the home address, family information, and other private data.

To better protect that knowledge that may be hiding in your web history, be sure to delete browser cookies and clear your browser history consistently. It is easy. In chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera — press Ctrl+Shift+Del to bring up a dialog that lets you keep which elements of browser data you want to clear.  

For better security and privacy use secure browsers like Tor, Brave, Cliqz that have a built-in feature that can always keep your cache clear.

7. Ignore Suspicious Pop-Ups

Pop-ups can contain malicious software which can trick a user into verifying something. But you do click on Pop-ups, malware downloads itself in the background, and then installs on your PC. This catch is known as a drive-by download.

Always ignore pop-ups offering things like site surveys on e-commerce sites, as they can quickly easily get the personal data.

Phishing scams are one of the easiest and widely used mechanisms for cyber frauds. Many websites secretly design features that can steal user information. Though with a little education users can learn to browse safely and prevent a potential phishing attack, anti-phishing plugins designed especially for phishing protection can also come in handy. Because it is not always possible for users to detect a phishing site, anti-phishing plugins can ensure their safety when browsing.

8. Turn Off the “Save Password” Feature in Browser

Speaking of what your browser may know about you, most browsers introduce a built-in password management solution. We at LimeVPN don’t guide them, to be that as it may. We feel it’s ideal to leave secret word assurance to the specialists who make secret key managers. Consider this. When you offer to import your secret phrase administration can do that, you can make certain some destructive programming can do likewise. What’s more, keeping your passwords in a solitary, focal secret word administrator gives you a chance to utilize them overall programs and gadgets.

Password managers are designed to manage a user’s details securely. We all enter our information online, whether it is a bank account login, our social security number, or an email password. Most users have dozens of accounts. Team members in business may have hundreds — all of them protected by a username and their accompanying passwords.

Password managers take the burden of remembering each login of the user. The majority of these services are low-cost or free, targeting, and meeting the needs of a single consumer. Some of the best password management software for an enterprise on the market are LastPass, Dashlane, Keeper Security.

9. Don’t Fall Prey to Click Bait

Some portion of verifying your online life is being keen about what you click. Misleading content does not merely allude to cunning arrangement recordings and appealing features. It can likewise include connects in email, informing application, and on Facebook. Phishing joins take on the appearance of secure sites, wanting to fool you into giving them your qualifications. Drive-by download pages can cause malware to download and contaminate your gadget consequently.

Don’t click links in emails or text message, unless they come from a reliable source. Even then, be cautious; your trusted source might be compromised, or the message might be a fake. The same goes for links on social media sites, even in posts that seem to be from your friends. If a post appears unlike the style of your social media buddy, it could be a hack.

10. Secure Your Social Media Privacy

The internet has made our lives easier in so many ways. However, you need to know how you can protect your privacy and avoid fraud. Remember, not only can people be defrauded when using the Internet for investing the fraudsters use information online to send materials, solicits, or fish.

Privacy Setting. Always check the default privacy setting when opening an account on social media websites. The default privacy settings on many social media websites are typically broad, and many permits are sharing of information to a vast online community. Modify the settings, if appropriate, before posting any information on a social media website.

Biographical Information. Many social media websites require biographical information to open an account. You can limit the data made available to other social media users. Consider customizing your privacy settings to minimize the amount of biographical information others can view on the websites.

Account Information. Never give account information, social security numbers, bank information, or other sensitive financial information on social media websites. If you need to speak to a financial professional, use a firm-sponsored method of communication, such as telephone, letter, secure email, or firm-sponsored website.

Friends/Contacts. When choosing friends or contacts on a social media site, think about why you use the website. Decide whether it is appropriate to accept a “friend” or another membership request from a financial service provider, such as a financial adviser or broker-dealer. There is no obligation to take a “friend” request of a service provider or anyone you do not know or do not know well.

Site Features. Familiarize yourself with the functionality of a social media website before broadcasting messages on the site. Who will be able to see your messages only specified recipients or all users?

11. Get a VPN and Use It

Any time you connect to the Internet using a Wi-Fi network that you don’t know, you should use a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. Say you got to a coffee shop and connect to free Wi-Fi network in which you don’t know anything about the security of that connection. It’s attainable that somebody else on that network, without your knowledge, could start looking through or stealing the files and data sent from your laptop or mobile device. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, routing it through a server in hand by the VPN company (LimeVPN) meaning no one, not even the owner of the free Wi-Fi network, will eavesdrop on your data.

Using a VPN additionally hides your IP address. Advertisers and trackers wanting to spot or geolocate you via your IP address can instead see the VPN company’s address. Spoofing your location using a VPN server in another country can also serve to unlock content that’s not available in your region. On a more serious note, journalists and activists in repressive countries have long used VPN technologies to communicate securely.

If you have never used one before, or the technology sounds a bit beyond your internet savvy, don’t be concerned, we have got coated with our feature on how to set up and use a VPN.

12. Install an Antivirus and Keep It Updated

We call this kind of software system antivirus. However, it truly protects against all types of malicious software systems. Ransomware encrypts your files and demands payment to revive them. Worm programs appear to be valid programs; however, behind the scenes, they steal your data.

Bots flip your pc into a soldier in an exceeding zombie army, able to have interaction in an exceeding denial of service attack, or spew spam, or regardless of the larva herder commands. An efficient antivirus protects against these and lots of different kinds of malware.

In theory, you’ll set and forget your antivirus protection, belongings it hums on within the background, transfer updates, and so on. In apply, you must take a glance at it each currently then. Most antivirus utilities show a new banner or icon once everything is ok. If you open the service and see yellow or red, follow the directions to induce things back on course.

You may be thinking, wait, is not antivirus included into Windows? Not solely is Microsoft Windows Defender Security Center baked into the software package, it mechanically takes over protection once it detects no alternative antivirus, and even as automatically steps aside once you install third-party protection. The factor is, this constitutional antivirus does not compare with the most straightforward third-party software. Even the simplest free ones are much higher than Windows Defender do not trust it; you’ll go higher.

Whether you have chosen an easy-to-use antivirus or a full security suite, you’ll have to renew it annually. Your best bet is to enroll in automatic renewal. With some security product, doing thus permits a malware-free guarantee. You’ll continually choose later if you get the urge to change to a particular product.

One more factor. If your antivirus or security suite does not have ransomware protection, think about adding a separate layer of protection. Several ransomware-specific utilities are entirely free. Thus there is not any reason to not strive a number of them and choose the one that suits you best.

13. Explore the Security Tools You Install

Many different apps and settings help preserve your devices and your identification, but they’re only relevant if you understand how to use them suitably. Understand the tools that you assume will protect you will go a long way toward them protecting you. For example, your smartphone almost surely includes a choice to find it if lost, and you may have even applied it on. But did you actively try it out, so you’ll know how to use it if required? Your antivirus probably can fend off Potentially Unwanted Application (PUAS), troublesome apps that aren’t precisely malware but don’t do anything beneficial. Check the detection settings and make sure it’s configured to prevent components that aren’t active until you turn them on. When you install a new security product, flip through all the pages of the main window, and at least take a glance at the settings.

Also Read : Top Privacy Tools 2019 by LimeVPN

How to Protect from Ransomware and Identity Theft Online

As you can see, there are many ways someone can track you online. So be smart and learn how to protect your online privacy and how to stay anonymous.

Follow these steps, and it will be tough for someone to invade your privacy. Just remember one final rule – you don’t know who you’re talking on the other end. Never share any personal information and don’t ever use sensitive information for services that hackers could easily steal. Get vpn services now!

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Rachael Chapman

A Complete gamer and a Tech Geek. Brings out all her thoughts and love in writing blogs on IOT, software, technology etc