Your laptop stores plenty of useful information including documents, images, transaction data, and more. These are the things that you can’t afford to get leaked away. If you are on the internet, you are under one or the other threat all the time.
Hackers are practising different ways to enter your computer ecosystem, gain access to your data, steal your sensitive information, and utilize it for the sole benefits. Any kind of negligence from your end can make your computer and data susceptible to online threats putting you into trouble.
8 Ways to Secure Your Computer
The article explains some of the secure ways to improve your online ecosystem to help you get a better and safe browsing experience.
1. Use Strong Combination of Passwords
The first thing you could do to secure your computer is to add a strong login password. Passwords are an easy way to protect your valuable data from hackers. You can also assign passwords to your important files, folders, and even to USB flash drives.
However, keep in mind that passwords can only give you security when it is strong enough and is difficult to crack. Use at least 8 alpha-numeric and special characters in your passwords, and never use the same code for all your accounts.
2. Update Apps & Programs Regularly
Always keep your apps and programs updated. There can be potential bugs and issues with older versions, and that’s why they can easily be hacked by cybercriminals. While the latest versions are free from any bugs and cannot be hacked easily, keeping a regular update of your apps saves your privacy and protects your data.
The most recent versions are launched to combat security errors and performance problems. If you find any redundant app stored on your computer, cleaning it up is the best way to secure data as it can be a great security hog.
3. Beware of Spam Emails
You might receive spam messages frequently, and most of the time, they include catchy subject lines that encourage you to open them. You might be thinking of winning something or a free entry to an upcoming popular event as the subject lines are designed to trap the recipient.
Once you click on it, you will be redirected to a different site that may contain malware. Therefore, it is recommended not to open any suspicious email as long as you are not sure of the sender.
4. Encrypt Your Hard Drive to Limit Access
Encrypting your drive is considered one of the best ways to secure your data. Encryption can make the internal and external hard drives inaccessible and make them secure, no matter where you keep them.
This way, you can prevent your data from unauthorized access and hacking attempts even if the hard drive gets stolen. Therefore, you must try the hard drive encryption method to protect and safeguard your data against any kind of illegitimate access. Once encrypted, it is difficult to access data without entering the decryption key.
5. Use a VPN to Encrypt IP Address
VPN, Virtual Private Network is one of the secure ways to browse the internet while preventing your browsing history and IP addresses. VPN encrypts internet protocol addresses making it difficult for the internet service provider or third-party websites to view your browsing details.
Using a VPN, you can also change your IP address and location for better security, particularly when you are doing a transaction online. It not only protects your online data but also keeps you away from any hacker’s attack.
6. Keep a Backup to Restore Lost or Corrupted Files Easily
If your laptop gets stolen and you don’t have a backup of your data, you may end up losing all the data elements. To get rid of this problem, maintain a healthy backup strategy and save the backup copy at a secure location, whether onsite or offsite.
Even if your device turns corrupt, you would still have a copy of the data with you that you can easily restore. Make use of the ways to back up your data, including moving it to external hard drives or any of the cloud services.
7. Cover Your Webcams to Protect Privacy
This might sound a bit odd to follow, but you should protect your webcams. Webcams are placed mostly in front of the laptops and the user; once hacked, it can be easier for cybercriminals to hack the videos of your daily routine.
The Internet is a wonderful discovery, but if explored wisely. Keeping a cover on your laptop webcam might solve this problem. If you have a desktop computer, then unplug the webcam when not in use.
8. Install an Antivirus to Nosedive Viruses
Viruses and malware can come to your device through multiple sources that are hard to detect but infect your data beyond repair. Viruses can create multiple files on your computer, which can slow down the performance, resulting in corrupting the hard drive.
Installing an antivirus is one of the potential ways to protect the device and data stored within. You can install a good antivirus from the internet, but make sure to get it from a legitimate source.
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