If a user wants to protect his online accounts from hacker attacks, he has various measures at his disposal. If you know these, you can do something against data theft yourself. This guide reveals the things you can do to make your online account more secure.
1. Secure passwords
Most Internet users already know that you should never use the same password for multiple accounts. Rather, the passwords should vary. Special computer programs used by hackers can try a large number of combinations per second, so a strong password should always be chosen. It should be long and contain numbers, letters and special characters. Password managers can be a help if you can’t or don’t want to remember all combinations. In most cases, a password generator is also integrated, which can be used to create secure passwords.
2. Use two-factor authentication
Active 2-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the strongest security measures you can choose to protect your accounts. With this security tool, a second code (factor) is used through the cell phone to verify that you are indeed the owner of the account. So if a hacker should have cracked the login password, he still lacks the cell phone code. 2FA should therefore be activated wherever possible.
3. Regular updates?
With tips 1 and 2 you have already secured your login data very well against theft. However, if hackers exploit other security holes, for example in the software, there is not much a user can do about it. As a user of software applications, there is one thing you should definitely pay attention to, and that is regular updates. Developers always fix security gaps and bugs with updates. Apps and software should therefore always be up-to-date.
4. Don’t fall for phishing attacks?
Hackers use phishing attacks to gain access to accounts in a fairly simple way. This involves a supposed email from a large bank or a service such as Facebook, Google and Co. The email contains a link that should not be opened under any circumstances. Phishing emails are sometimes difficult to recognize. Therefore, you should always be careful with links in emails.
It is better to open the page manually if possible instead of clicking on the link in an email. In addition, it is relatively easy to tell from the sender’s email address whether it is a phishing email or not. If an email seems strange or contains an urgent request, you should check again more closely. A quick web search to see if other users have received a similar email can also clarify any doubts. Click here for the Best Marketplace for Digital and Products On the Internet With Big Promo.
5. limit digital footprint
Even if all passwords are managed with a password manager, there are usually still old accounts on the Internet whose credentials can be stolen. In the worst case, a hacker can use them to gain access to accounts that are still in use.
The web app “Have I been Pwned” makes it very easy to check whether you have been the victim of data theft and should change your password. If you want to be on the safe side, you would be well advised to delete all old accounts that are lying idle anyway. There are now good ways to leave less data on the net overall – “digital footprint”. The search engine DuckDuckGo and the Brave browser can be used to achieve a much higher level of privacy protection.
