Internet browsing has become an important part of our daily lives but various security risks may arise if proper measures are not followed. Exposing your financial information, being a victim of malware infection or losing access to the files stored on your computer, all these are some of the common threats that a user may have to deal with. Following safe web browsing practices can help to avoid all these risks and protect your personal data online.

Here are some tips to stay safe while browsing the internet.

• Keep Your Browser Updated: Make sure your web browser is constantly updated to the latest version. Security patches are often released to fix any vulnerabilities that may be present in the previous version. You can turn on automatic updates or regularly check for the newer version available. Besides the browser, the operating system and software installed on your computer should also be up-to-date.

• Improve Computer Security: Install and use an anti-virus software, spyware as well as malware detection program to improve the security of your computer. This will help to detect and remove any potentially dangerous program from your system. Also enable the firewall to avoid hackers from getting unauthorized access to your computer.

• Be Careful Of Phishing: Phishing attacks involve the use of spam emails, which appear to be from a legitimate source, and aim at acquiring sensitive information from the users. Make sure you do not click any link or download any attachment from an email received from unknown sender.

• Be Cautious When Using Wi-Fi: You should be extremely cautious when accessing the internet through a wireless connection as information shared over these networks is not usually encrypted. Do not log in to any of your online accounts, make financial transactions or access your social media profiles on a Wi-Fi connection. Your information can be easily intercepted by hackers and used for malicious purposes.

• Look For HTTPS: When accessing any website that requires you to enter important information, such as password, credit card details, bank account number etc., make sure that the website’s URL starts with an ‘HTTPS’ instead of ‘HTTP’. There should also be a padlock icon in the address bar, verifying that the website you are visiting is secure.

• Do Not Reuse Passwords: Using the same passwords for all your online activities makes it easier for the hackers to gain access to multiple accounts. Hence, you should create complex and unique passwords for different accounts, including internet banking, email, social media, online shopping etc.

For more internet safety tips, feel free to contact Centex Technologies at (972) 375 – 9654.