Due to the growing internet presence as an integral part of our everyday activity, privacy online is a serious matter that needs to be tackled nowadays.
Today we depend on the internet for almost every activity in life and it looks like our most secret information is becoming more and more accessible to criminals.
Consequently, everyone must be careful of surfing the web safely.
This article will cover the essential methods of how to browse safely, illustrated with practical examples, showing how important it is to follow them.
Use Secure and Encrypted Connections
It is always better to browse the web using an encrypted and secure Internet connection in particular when access to sensitive data or log-in is needed.
Look for websites with “https” This part of the address bar is also colored green, denoting that it is SSL/TLS encrypted.
Sending your private details over Wi-Fi networks which are still unsecured will not be advised; they are prone to such attacks as eavesdropping and interception by criminals.
In 2014, Yahoo suffered one of the largest breaches of data ever recorded especially the attack that invaded over 500 million user accounts and exposed their log-in details and personal information.
The incident showed that encrypted channels make people pay more important attention to Internet safety.
Utilize Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
VPNs encrypt your internet communication channeling it through the secure servers that are there to keep your online privacy guarded and hide your IP address as well.
In such a case, VPNs are very effective in public Wi-Fi networks and breaking geo-restrictions and censorship.
Select reliable VPN service providers with a non-logging-type option to safeguard your privacy of web history.
In 2017, the FCC reversed the net neutrality regulations in the US, additionally, increasing concerns about ISPs tracking and commercializing consumers browsing data.
People use VPNs when they wish to monitor their online privacy themselves and at the same time evade the supervision of their internet providers.
Review and Adjust Privacy Settings
Constantly monitor and update the privacy settings on websites, social media platforms and online services to be able to control the information you share and who has access to it.
Restrict the access to your profile, posts and recent activity of targeting advertising by trusted contacts only and deactivate the features that follow your online activity.
Be aware of the permissions granted to apps and browser extensions, because they may gather more information than required.
In 2018, the Cambridge Analytica scandal unearthed how a third-party app was able to access Facebook profiles from millions of users without their consent, emphasizing the need for reviewing and restricting app permissions to maintain privacy.
Enable Browser Privacy Features
Modern web browsers provide built-in privacy features that not only boost security but also help combat tracking.
Provide features like “Do Not Track” signals, which notify web owners that you despise the idea of being monitored or tracked for targeted ads.
Try to install browser extensions or plugins that are capable of keeping off cookies, scripts and ads. They will be beneficial to you in the areas of online privacy.
The EU became the first to adopt the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as the law for dealing with personal data privacy in 2018.
The major web browsers were forced to upgrade their privacy features following these stricter standards, which in turn led to enhanced web user’s power to protect their online privacy.
Practice Password Hygiene and Multi-Factor Authentication
Do not use the same password for multiple online accounts. Change them regularly to stop unauthorized access to your pages. Using a trustworthy password manager for the generation and storing of highly complex passwords is a good idea.
Activate MFA on all accounts where it is allowed to protect your accounts with two-factor authentication in addition to password-based authentication.
In the 2019 Capital One breach, the disaster was caused by a misconfigured web application firewall and mild password protection that compromised the personal information of over 100 million customers.
The demonstrated event highlighted the crucial importance of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication as measures of data protection from cyber-attacks.
Conclusion
Finally, protecting your privacy when browsing the internet means being proactive and applying security techniques.
Keep in mind that the protection of your privacy includes not only the keeping of your data but also the owning of your digital identity as well as the assertion of your freedom as an internet user.
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