
Read Time: Approx 5 mins
In this lesson, we’ll be covering essential tips on staying safe online and keeping your data secure. Let’s get started!
What are Digital Life Skills?
In today’s digital age, understanding how to navigate the internet safely and securely is crucial. Having digital life skills means that you can make the most of online resources like banking, local government services and applying for jobs, while protecting your personal information. At Wifinity, we’re committed to helping you stay informed and protected.
Staying Safe Online
Whether you’re shopping, socialising, or working online, it’s important to stay vigilant.
Let’s dive into our first topic: staying safe online.
Keeping yourself safe online involves being aware of potential threats and knowing how to avoid them. Here are some tips:
Passwords
They’re the key to getting access to your personal accounts and information.
Tip 1: Use a mix of characters, combining uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. This makes your password more difficult to guess or crack.
Tip 2. Make It Long: Aim for a password that is at least 12 characters long. The longer the password, the harder it is for hackers to break through.
Tip 3. Avoid common words and patterns: Don’t use easily guessable information like your name, birthday, or common words like “password” or “123456.” Also, avoid simple patterns like “abcd” or “qwerty.”
Tip 4. Use a password manager: Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. This way, you don’t have to remember each one, and you can use unique passwords for every account.
Tip 5. Regularly update your passwords: Change them periodically, especially for sensitive accounts, to reduce the risk of your accounts being compromised over time. It’s a good idea to set a reminder to change your banking password every three to six months.
Tip 6. Alongside passwords, add an extra layer of protection by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of identification.
Finally, be extra cautious of phishing scams. Don’t click on links or open attachments from unknown or suspicious emails.
Remember that new threats appear all the time.
Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify the source before providing any personal information.
Keeping Your Data Secure
Now, let’s talk about how you keep your data secure. Protecting your personal information is vital in preventing identity theft and other forms of cybercrime.
Tip 1: You should regularly update your software and apps. Updates often include security patches that protect against new threats. Most browsers will let you know when to run an update.
Tip 2: Back up your data regularly. Use cloud storage or an external hard drive to keep copies of important files.
Tip 3: We recommend using encryption tools. These help to protect your data by converting it into a secure format that can only be accessed with a key.
Tip 4: It’s also important to think hard about the information you share on social media. Thieves can use this personal data to develop scams and phishing attacks. Sadly, they’ll sound more genuine because they know personal information about you. Be sure to adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your posts and personal details, rather than having a completely public account.
By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of online threats and keep your data secure.