Your reselling business requires so much of your personal information and finances to operate. But, how many of us are concerned about internet safety? With the information of the world at our fingertips- it is important to protect ourselves from those who may want to cause us harm. Josh Rogan, an expert in web technologies, internet age communications, and new AI developments shares his expert advice on how to do just that!
For more information like this, visit his web page here.
5 Ways to Protect Your Home Internet Network
The internet is a remarkable thing. It allows us to connect with new friends and
acquaintances across vast distances, to access and absorb new information from any
subject matter, and, significantly, to engage in global trade networks from the comfort of
home. With so many of us working remotely online these days, we are relying on the
internet more now than ever before.
With so many of our social, commercial, and informational interactions taking place online,
one thing is more important now than it has ever been: staying safe online. The more data
we share online throughout all of these various platforms, the more we become enticing
targets for bad actors online.
Luckily, there are simple ways to protect your home internet network. In this article, we will
take a look at five things you can do to shore up your home cybersecurity and keep all
your interactions safe from would-be hackers.
1. Install a VPN
What is a VPN, you may ask? A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a sort of mask that
hides your physical location. And why should you install a VPN, you may wonder? With a
VPN, any actions you take online will be funneled through that private network first, so that
all of your online interactions are anonymized. You can set your VPN to mask your actual
IP address so that it seems that you are logging in from a different geolocation, anywhere
in the world.
When you browse online with a VPN activated, it masks your activity, so what you do is
safe from the prying eyes of anyone who might be interested in accessing your data. The
VPN will also encrypt your data, so it cannot be unscrambled by hackers. For workers in
countries where freedom of speech is limited, for example, a VPN can make a
monumental difference in terms of allowing them access to information and resources
outside of that country’s official restrictive policies.
Plenty of VPN companies offer free trial periods, so you can test it out before paying for
the extra protection. Usually the VPN works like any other browser extension; simply
download it as an add-on. An icon will appear in your browser and from there you can
control where you prefer to appear to be browsing from.
2. Use An Anti-Virus Program
Installing a VPN is an easy way to mask your geolocation and anonymize your online
browsing. But it isn’t the only additional security you will need to keep you safe online.
Installing an effective anti-virus program is a smart way to combat cyberattacks, various
possible forms of cyberattack.
An anti-virus program with real time protection will continuously monitor your activity,
watching out for files, downloads, and websites that might be dangerous or potentially
harmful to your computer. A good anti-virus program can simultaneously watch out for
suspicious emails, alert you when you have accessed websites that may pose a threat, warn you of possible identity theft opportunities, and guard you against ransomware and
phishing.
Particularly for people working online, a cyberattack can come at a great cost. If your
sensitive details, such as bank account details or health records, fall into the wrong hands,
they can be sold online on the dark web to the highest bidder. If your customers’ sensitive
details are accessed through your company accounts, the consequences can be even
more damaging. So making an initial investment in the necessary protective measures is a
smart move that will pay off in the long run.
3. Change Your Passwords Frequently
You may be thinking, “Yeah, yeah, we have heard it all before, that same old chatter about
securing your passwords.” But, while it may seem extremely straightforward, changing
your passwords frequently is actual a very effective way to thwart hackers. The more
difficult your passwords are to guess, the more trouble hackers will have accessing your
accounts.
Choose passwords with a diverse combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers,
and symbols. Your passwords should be at least eight characters long. Avoid the
temptation to use familiar phrases, such as song lyrics, or easy to remember words, like
your spouse’s name, your favorite pet, or your birthday. And don’t fall into the trap of using
the same password for all of your different accounts just because it is easier to remember.
Instead, invest in a password manager to help you keep track of all of your unique
passwords. Change your passwords frequently. Make it a part of your monthly or quarterly
routine and your accounts will be much more secure for it.
4. Change the Factory Settings
Many people are unaware of this, but when you first purchase your internet router, it
comes pre-set with factory settings, including your home internet network name.
Sometimes the pre-set information also includes your home Wi-fi network password. And
that is information that any hacker can access.
All they have to do is a little online digging, and they can discover the factory settings for
your specific Wi-fi network. If they can log into your home Wi-fi network, they stand a much
better chance of accessing your accounts and private information, or installing spyware or
malware.
So the very first thing you should do when you set up your home internet is to change the
factory settings on the router. Make your Wi-fi network name difficult to guess, and change
it frequently, just as you do with your passwords. Then set a secure password, and change
that frequently as well. The more unique and difficult to guess, the more secure the
network.
5. Use Your Common Sense
When it comes to cybersecurity, one of the most important tools you already have in your
toolbox is your own common sense. Do some homework to learn more about the types of
cyberattack out there. Often there are common schemes, and you will be able to determine when that suspicious looking email you just received fits into a pattern of repeated behavior.
Trust your instincts. Just as you might take extra caution when visiting a dark ally in a
foreign city, be on your guard when browsing websites that seem strange. A quick internet
search can often reveal a lot about whether or not a particular website or email account is
as legitimate as it is claiming to be. If your gut tells you something is off, trust that feeling.
Take a pause, do some research, and if it turns out you were right, block that website or
email.
Surfing Securely
It may seem like a lot of work to protect yourself against hackers. But in fact, the work you
put in now will help you out every day. Make cybersecurity a part of your regular routine.
Take the time to download system updates; they often come embedded with more
sophisticated approaches to cybersecurity. Change your passwords and network name
frequently.
Make use of the helpful protection tools available, such as VPN’s and anti-virus software.
Change the factory settings on your internet router, printer, and other devices synced to
the internet. And, most importantly, trust your gut. Always use your common sense and
take the extra time to research anything that may seem suspicious. A little extra effort can
go a long way towards securing all your online interactions.
For more of Josh Rogan’s work, visit https://joshroganwriting.com/
