You can never be too careful when it comes to online security. With scams, malware and hacks on the rise, the internet can feel like a dangerous place. Rest assured, we have a few great tips that will protect your personal information online.

Enable private browsing

Enable private browsing if you don’t want anyone who has physical access to your computer to know where you’ve been hanging online. You can enable private browsing using any major web browser to hide data. Doing so will delete browsing history, temporary internet files and cookies when you have closed the window. This can also come in handy if you want to avoid targeted ads from showing up on your social media profiles. Also, private browsing is encouraged if you are using a shared network.

Opt for two-step authentication

Many websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Gmail offer two-step verification. By enabling two-step verification, a special code will be sent to your mobile phone every time you log in. While some websites require you to use a code each time, others only require one when you are logging in from a new device or web browser. This helps prevent others from accessing your account and also notifies you in case someone tries to do so, this will allow you to take measures accordingly.

Don’t be honest when setting up security questions

For extra security measures, it’s best you lie when setting up security questions. Questions such as “in what city were you born” are pretty obvious which means the intruder might be able to take a guess. Not to mention, there’s probably lots of information about you online which means someone can easily do some digging.

Practice safe surfing and shopping

When browsing online or visiting new websites, ensure the website’s address starts with “https” and not just “http”. The ‘s’ indicates that the website is secure and uses encryption to scramble data. This ensures that your personal information cannot be intercepted by others. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of shady sites with bad grammar or misspellings when browsing online.