According to the latest research, there are around twenty billion devices around the world connected to the internet. These include desktop machines, servers, laptops, mobile phones – and, increasingly, household appliances like fridges, cookers, and even light bulbs.
All of these devices create an opportunity for malicious online activity, some of which might pose a threat to you, your business, and even your family.
Staying safe on the internet is often a matter of educating yourself, taking the proper precautions, and talking honestly to your loved ones about your relationship with the online world.
Educate them about online safety
When it comes to your children, you might be tempted to limit their contact entirely. Just as you might hesitate before filling them with sugary snacks, you might limit their exposure to online content.
But once children reach a certain age, it’s overwhelmingly likely that they’ll find a way to get online. Therefore, it’s better to educate them early on. Above all, get them to be cautious about handing information over to strangers – and to be comfortable talking to you about anything they’ve seen on the internet that made them feel bad.
Use parental controls
Of course, parental controls are still a valuable means of restricting your child’s browsing activity. You can set these up on your home router, and they’ll restrict access on every device connected to it, including mobile phones and game consoles. If you’ve bought a phone for your child, you might also set up controls for the cellular network.
Don’t assume that they won’t find a way to circumvent the controls in order to access certain websites. Find a way to monitor your traffic, so that you know exactly what is being accessed, and at what time.
Be cautious about suspicious emails
Any unsolicited message in your email inbox might conceivably be a phishing attack. If the message urges you to take immediate action to correct a problem with an account or claim a once-in-a-lifetime prize, then it might be viewed with extra suspicion. Hackers often use email as a way to direct unwary internet users toward fake websites that will steal data. Every member of your family is vulnerable – unless, of course, they’re aware of the threat.
You can set up a free email for younger family members so that you can introduce them to the basic principles early on. Look for one that’s encrypted, safe, and reputable.
Keep things updated
Malicious software engineers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in operating systems and other programs, as well as the firmware on your smaller internet-connected devices. Fortunately, non-malicious engineers are constantly addressing these vulnerabilities, and rolling out new, more secure versions of the software in question in patches. Make sure that you download and install these patches as soon as they come out!
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