Here Are 18 Tips for Safe Internet Use to Protect Against Cybercrime

Ruangngoprek.web.id  - 18 Tips for Using the Internet Safely from Cybercrime - Surfing the internet or surfing the internet is a common activity these days. The internet has become an inseparable part of human life. While the internet can make all your activities easier, if you're not careful in using it, it can also be detrimental.

To avoid harming ourselves, we must understand how to use the internet safely. There have been numerous cases of direct data loss and fraud online, ranging from online shop scams to social media scams claiming to use other people's data, to data theft.

So, this time, I'm going to share 18 tips for healthy and safe internet use. Here are some ways you can use the internet safely and securely:

1. Use a unique password that is hard to guess but easy to remember.

Passwords, also known as passphrases, are commonly used to log into an account. Passwords are considered a security measure to prevent others from accessing your account, which contains personal data.

However, even if you have set a password, it does not guarantee the security of your account.

Moreover, if you use an easily guessed password, your account becomes easily hacked and easily compromised.

Use a password with a combination of letters, numbers, and characters that is difficult for others to guess but still memorable for you. It's not recommended to create a password that includes your name or birth date.

2. Be selective in choosing friends in cyberspace.

Social media allows people to connect with people all over the world. Simply by adding friends, you can meet new people. However, you should also be selective in choosing friends.

If in the concrete world you can judge which friends are good and which friends are not suitable to be friends, but not in the virtual world. Many people do not use their own gotong-royong identity.

That is what you must be aware of when looking for and choosing friends in cyberspace, especially social media. By being selective in choosing friends, you will avoid cybercrime that can lurk at any time.

3. Protect Your Personal Information and Sensitive Information

Sometimes, when we open a website, it asks for our data. Make sure you don't share it carelessly, especially on fake sites with questionable credibility.

To be safer, make sure you only show your personal data to websites that use the https protocol, which is marked with a green padlock in the address bar.

4. Maintain Your Reputation in Cyberspace

It's a good idea to frequently check your presence in search engines by typing in your name. Why? It's possible that your personal information might appear when it shouldn't.

Moreover, leaking private data can be very detrimental to your privacy. To address this, make sure your privacy settings are not set to public if you don't want your data to be shared with search engines. Set this for your social media accounts or other accounts.

5. Think Before You Write Something

For those of you with social media accounts, you undoubtedly often create statuses that can be seen by many people. Creating statuses is not prohibited.

However, first, ensure that your posts don't offend or harm others. Of course, you must first understand how to use social media safely.

The repercussions are certainly significant if you post something that hurts others, and you could face prison sentences. Furthermore, the ITE Law requires you to think carefully before posting anything on social media.

6. Stay alert to internet scams

Always be wary of potential online scams. Don't be easily swayed by strangers offering gifts online, especially if they ask for money or your personal information.

This is undoubtedly a scam. Also, be wary of any online transactions you make. It's best to use a joint account system for secure transactions.

7. Be wary of every file received 

Malware creators often carry out their crimes by sending links or files to your email address that can compromise your device. These files or links are usually distributed via email or even through anonymous websites.

Be wary of such links, websites, and files. If necessary, scan any data you download from email or the internet to determine if it contains viruses or is safe. By scanning every piece of data you download, you're effectively protecting your internet from viruses  .

8. Be Careful When Using Public WiFi

To make it more conducive for you to access public WiFi, here are some tips for using public WiFi safely, quoted from Norton:

• Always monitor the channels running on your device. Be alert if there are any suspicious channels.
• Set up the WiFi network manually, not automatically.
• Access legitimate WiFi networks. Sometimes WiFi networks of unknown origin can also become a breeding ground for eavesdroppers.
• Turn off the data sharing feature
• Use a VPN

Additionally, use the WiFi apps available on the Play Store. They can detect the security of your WiFi, activate a VPN, and more. Here are the best WiFi security apps we recommend to make your public WiFi more secure:

9. Use Multiple Emails for Multiple Accounts

Consider using one email address for multiple accounts. While this is convenient, it also carries significant risks.

If your email address is hacked, your accounts on all websites registered to that email address will inevitably be compromised as well. You can only accept the consequences if that happens.

It's best to use multiple email addresses for different websites. For example, email A for social media, email B for business, or email C for more important websites.

10. Turn off the internet connection when not in use.

Devices connected to the internet are more vulnerable to cybercrime because when you connect to the internet, you immediately open up a data security gap even though it is protected by a firewall.

Turning off your internet connection also has advantages. Besides protecting your personal data, you can also save on your internet data and battery usage.

11. Sending Encrypted Information if it is Sensitive

If you want to send sensitive data such as bank information data, or important passwords to another email, we recommend encrypting it first using an encryption service such as ProtonMail or PGP.

12. Install and Update Antivirus and Antispyware Applications

Both of these applications can protect you from malware attacks, including viruses, worms, and Trojans. These viruses can infect your device and even steal your data directly.

Enable the automatic update feature on antivirus and antispyware applications so you don't have to update them. These application updates can further protect the data on your device.

13. Make a Data Backup

Backing up your data is extremely beneficial, especially if you encounter a virus that can wipe out your data. You certainly don't want your important data to be lost immediately, let alone used and distributed by irresponsible parties.

Backing up data can be done by manually copying data to a flash drive and hard disk, or using cloud services such as Google Drive and the like.

14. Make sure to activate the Firewall

A firewall is a device used to maintain a direct control channel to a network from the outside. A firewall can also be referred to as a computer network security system used to protect a computer from external attacks.

Ensuring this software is installed and automatically updated is also essential for maintaining the security of your personal data. To configure this, go to  Control Panel  >  System and Security  >  Windows Firewall   >  Allow a program... > Check the boxes you want your firewall to update automatically >  OK.

15. Enable Automatic Operating System Updates

If you are a Windows or Macintosh OS user, then turn on the automatic update feature, where the update aims to provide more security to your computer device.

These updates are called patches or fixes. By regularly updating the operating system, the risk of cybercrime can be minimized.

16. Clear Cache Regularly

Don't underestimate the cache stored in your browser. Stored cookies, browsing history, and saved searches can all lead to your personal information.

To protect data directly from the cache, you can clear it regularly. Clearing the cache is a safe way to browse the internet. It's very easy. In PC browsers like Chrome, Mozilla, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Opera, you simply need to press CTRL+Shift+Delete to clear the cache. On mobile browsers, simply go to Settings and Clear Cache.

If you delete cookies, you'll lose your sign-in data on some websites. But don't worry, you just need to log back in.

17. Use the Most Updated Browser and Use Its Security Features

Browser applications that receive updates from their developers not only have their performance updated, but also have their security holes patched.

Therefore, it is not wrong to automatically update your internet browser.

Additionally, use browser security features like incognito mode. This feature hides your browsing history and cookies, meaning they won't be saved and will disappear once you exit the tab. So, no one will know what you've been browsing.

18. Use More Security on Home WiFi

Your home Wi-Fi is the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your device's data. Therefore, Wi-Fi security needs to be enhanced. One way to do this is by encrypting your Wi-Fi network.

How to encrypt WiFi by going to the WiFi settings menu >  Security  > Change the network to  WPA2 (AES)  encryption, and change other basic security settings.

By using an encrypted network, the network will be more difficult for other people to hack and you can surf the internet more safely.

The final word

A safe internet connection protects you from all forms of cybercrime. Therefore, always use the internet wisely. By using the internet wisely, you protect your data from being stolen by others.

Thank you for reading this article on how to have a safe internet connection. Share this article on your social media using the buttons below if you found it interesting and helpful.