BrandedLogoDesign Reviews: 8 Security Tips for Digital Everyday Life

To celebrate the Safer Internet Day com! Professional eight elementary tips for a safe digital everyday at PC, Smartphone and Co.The Safer Internet Day is a yearly organized action day, in which (worldwide) the Internet threats and the handling of the same should be clarified. The day was initiated by the European Union and the institution INSAFE.

1. Configure wireless networks securely

Security on the Internet begins with your own infrastructure. Therefore, it is important that this is protected against foreign access. Today, wireless surfing at home is an everyday occurrence. If you are buying a router or one from your provider, passwords and other settingsstandardized. This is detrimental to safety. Ensure that both the password for the WLAN, the password for the router access and the roaming name, the so-called SSID, are changed.

2. Use current software and operating system

The operating system is also part of the company's own infrastructure. This is often thought to be a self-catering. This is only partly true: Regular updating ensures that hackers or malware will not exploit security gaps. If the support for a system is running, a newer version should be changed. Old operating systems are often no longer supplied with security updates and therefore pose a real danger to data and users. The same is also true for other software or the smartphone: keep them up-to-date. There is a widespread misconception that updates always bring problems. This can happen, but is by far not as frequent as many think.In addition, it should be, to a faulty update, usually very fast a patch.

3. Use secure passwords
E-mail providers, social media, cloud accounts - on the Internet almost every user uses one or the other service, which requires a password. Unfortunately, weak, fast-to-guess passwords are still being used - whether for convenience or because it is assumed that "nobody is interested in my data anyway". This is a fatal misconception. Therefore, set passwords that represent a certain hurdle, such as case-insensitive, numbers, special characters, and a certain length. It is also advisable not to use the same password for every service! More tips on how to create secure passwords can be found in our secure passwords workshop.
4. Finger away from the Admin account
Operating systems now allow to create different user accounts with different legal levels. Not infrequently there is simply a user who can do everything. There must be, finally, something needs to be repaired or installed, but this account is not for daily use. Log in for daily surfing and working as a normal user. The reason is obvious: there are many viruses, trojans, and other malware who need to access the computer's core system to work. If the active user now captures a malware but does not have the necessary rights, it may not become active.
5. Only surf on secure sites
Known sites such as Facebook or Gmail support the encryption standard HTTPS. Especially in cases requiring a password or dealing with sensitive data, HTTPS is indispensable. We recommend installing the browser extension HTTPS Everywhere. This forces websites to transfer all data only encrypted. The extension is free and available for Firefox, Chrome and Opera.

6. Use two-factor authentication

Many Internet providers or other web services already offer two-factor authentication, which ensures the respective user account with an additional security level. For example, banks usually use a small machine for their e-banking, which generates a random code. Every time you log in to your e-banking, this code is different. This means that you are protected twice - together with your PIN, which you must enter anyway. Other providers will do this with an additional number that you send to them by SMS or a previously defined question. You can find out more about 2FA and how it is applied here.

7. Do not spread the data freely in the network

Ensure that an exchange of personal data such as address, e-mail, telephone numbers and the like only takes place in a secure environment (keyword: HTTPS). Old HTML / Java guestbooks at club websites are not a place to leave your e-mail address or phone number. So leave your data only where it is unavoidable: flight bookings or online shopping on reputable portals. 

8. Beware of e-mail attachments

Even experts have already pointed out: e-mails from seemingly serious senders, with serious-looking concerns and with contaminated attachments, which can permanently damage your network, delete or encrypt data. Such mails are no longer traversed by bad grammar or even characters from other alphabets (often Cyrillic). It may also happen that your surfing habits are spied, then create a phishing message (often word files with alleged billing or similar). If you receive such an email, think carefully: Do I expect something like this? Is it plausible that I receive the expected e-mail? If in doubt, call the (alleged) sender by telephone.