How to Protect Your Information Online During COVID-19

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The COVID-19 outbreak has led to increased reliance on the internet. As the virus spreads like bush fire to every part of the world, many people are forced to quarantine and work from home in an effort to maintain social distancing. This means that a lot of information is being processed online, a factor that raises the question of data security. Ideally, cybercriminals are known to be opportunistic, and the coronavirus crisis fits their agenda. Everyone using the internet is exposed to the risk of cyber-attacks, so it is essential to learn how to protect your confidential information online. Check out these helpful tips.

Be Careful on What Click on

The overwhelming news making rounds about the coronavirus pandemic has created a new threat, known as phishing attacks. Primarily, phishing attacks tend to exploit public fear and uncertainty, which makes the COVID-19 epidemic a perfect candidate. Emails promising important information on coronavirus may contain malware in attachments and links.

 

In most cases, phishing attackers often seek access to devices providing confidential information that they manipulate to steal financial data from users. To avoid such situations, make sure you do not open file attachments or click on links coming from sources that you are not familiar with or people you do not know. Similarly, avoid messages that appear suspicious or unauthentic.

Get Rid of Inactive Accounts

Sometimes people create several online accounts, some of which become dormant over time. Getting rid of such accounts that are no longer in use can help minimize data exposure – the less the data you have on the internet, the less the risk of data theft. So to increase your online security odds, it can be a good idea to adopt appropriate security measures. Part of your cleaning plan should include generating unique, hard-to-guess passwords and installing a password manager with the ability to encrypt all your passwords.

Update Your Devices and Apps

Whether it is your computer, smartphone, or any other device that connects you to the internet, it should be updated. While most browsers update automatically, some apps, such as those you use to view photos, videos, and read documents, may require extra attention. Mostly, old versioned apps have a high likelihood of bugs that can make your device vulnerable to cyber-attacks. To get rid of these bugs, you can use reliable software or download files from trusted sources.

Secure Your Video Chat Connections

Video conferencing is of the tech innovations that have received massive recognition during the pandemic period. As people live in lockdown and quarantine to help stop the spread of the virus, there is an increased need to connect with family, colleagues, and friends. This means that people need applications that enable them to make group calls, so this makes video conferencing an excellent choice for many. However, several questions have been raised regarding their safety and privacy. You can consider using other safer alternatives such as Wire and WhatsApp services with end-to-end encryptions to help promote security. You can also use other trusted sources that do not need you to download software.

Don’t share Passwords Online

Passwords are essential to help protect your personal or company information. That is why it is important not to share passwords online. If your workmate asks for log-ins and if you must share them ensure you do it via the phone rather than sending them through email or text.

Learn How to Manage Infodemic

While the internet is an excellent source of valuable information, it can also be misinforming. As coronavirus spreads throughout the world, there is plenty of misinformation circulating online about the pandemic. Several misleading theories and claims surround the source, spread, and cure of the virus. That is why it is crucial to learn how to manage such information. Rumors can cause fear and anxiety during health crises, so before consuming any information about the pandemic, ensure you check its source and try verifying the content with other authentic sources.

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