Staying safe on the internet is something that most tech-savvy people understand almost instinctively. For example, the moment a website asks you for information, those survival instincts kick in and make us question what the website is asking for. It’s important that you have these kinds of instincts if you want to browse the internet safely.

Unfortunately, not everyone is tech-literate and there are plenty of internet users that don’t understand the dangers lurking around every website. We also can’t expect these people to immediately pick up on these nuances that help us detect dangers. This is especially true for young children and other family members who are relatively new to technologies such as the internet.

So in this post, we’ve compiled a list of simple yet helpful tips that will assist you in keeping your family members safe on the internet.

Some basic password tips to help you stay safe

To start, we’re going to talk about one of the most important things about online safety; passwords. Here are a few basic password tips to give you a refresher:

• Don’t use the same password for different things. If you use the same password for every service, it makes accessing your account a lot easier. If criminals know one password and login of yours, they’ll know several unless you vary your passwords.

• Use a long password whenever possible. You can use an online password tester to see just how secure your password is. If you play around with it, you’ll notice that longer passwords take much longer to crack since there are more possible variations. As such, you can use a long password that is easy to remember, such as a phrase or sentence.

• Don’t make the password related to you. If the password is related to your birth date, real name or other personal information, then it makes it much easier to crack.

• When traveling, make sure you use a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) is a technology that encrypts your internet traffic on unsecured networks to protect your online identity, hide your IP address, shield your online data from third parties, and allows you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots safely. When doing your research, make sure you read serveral independent online review sites, for example, nordvpn review, that way you will be able to pick the best VPN for your needs.

Using software to help you stay protected

It’s also a good idea to rely on different kinds of software to stay protected. There are two main types of software that you should be using; antivirus software and firewall software.

Antivirus software helps to protect your computer from being infected. It constantly monitors new file activity and looks for anything suspicious. If you download a file, the antivirus program will automatically check it before it’s allowed on your PC. This can mean that your computer will be a little slow or sluggish when it has to scan a lot of files, but it’ll ensure that your PC doesn’t get infected with obvious malware and viruses.

Next is firewall software. This software aims to block incoming and outgoing connections to protect your computer. It ensures that nobody tries to remotely access your computer, and it also ensures that none of your programs are sending suspicious packets of data over the internet. It can be a little confusing to set up, but once you have a firewall program, it’ll always warn you if it detects suspicious network activity.

With the combination of antivirus software and a firewall, you can keep your family protected on their computers and devices. However, it’s important that you update them on a regular basis. If your programs don’t know about a particular threat, then it’ll slip past undetected. By keeping your security software updated, it’ll ensure that your programs detect and stop any potential viruses and threats before they have a chance to do any damage to your computer or steal information. This usually happens automatically, so don’t ignore those warnings about updating your computer!

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What happens if you actually get a virus or are hacked?

Although there are plenty of simple online guides on protecting your identity, there will be times where something slips past and ends up infecting your computer. You could be in a situation where your identity is at risk, or you might be unable to start your computer or launch certain programs due to a virus.

In a situation like this, it’s best to try and run a scan for viruses if possible and remove them. Some of them will find their way into your computer’s core files, making them very difficult to remove. In a situation like this, you may want to contact an expert to help you.

Being more careful about what you share online

It’s also a good idea to be more careful about what you share online. A lot of new internet users are naive when it comes to sharing information. They’re willing to share everything from their name to their address, making it very easy to steal your information and potentially even commit identity fraud.

Make sure you practice online safety basics such as not revealing your information to anyone that asks. Ensure that your family members know this so that they can stay protected and hidden from any potential online criminals. It’s mostly safe to share information with well-known companies and friends, but make sure you’re speaking to the actual company or your friend and not someone impersonating them.

Luckily, more companies are taking security seriously

One of the great things about the internet these days is that more companies are starting to take security more seriously. For example, Apple is one of the few companies that seems truly concerned about the user’s privacy. You’ll also have many websites that actively promote spam prevention techniques. As an example, your inbox might already have a lot of anti-spam protection that automatically filters out stuff that isn’t relevant to the regular emails that you get.

There might occasionally be something that slips past, but anti-spam filters generally catch everything. There are some downsides as it might occasionally filter something useful, but this is just one of those tech-savvy tips that you’ll learn to deal with eventually.

Hopefully, these simple tips have made it a little easier for you to help protect your family when they use the internet. It’s all about being proactive and wise about how people use the internet.