3 min read
While the advent of the internet and technology have surely bestowed us with the fastest efficiency, it has left us with a dangerous curse named hacking and data breaching, something which knowingly or unknowingly happens all over the internet. What’s even worse is the fact that as technology advances the number of cyber crimes are only increasing and becoming difficult to solve.
Pakistan despite having a 36.5% internet penetration rate reported around 100,00 cyber crime cases in 2021. Released by DG FIA Dr. SanaullahAbbasi, these numbers only went on to increase since FIA just in the first quarter of 2022 received over 60,000 cybercrime complaints. Now, these are alarming numbers and it’s time each user takes their safety into their own hands.
But how can I do things that keep me protected on the internet? This is a common question since most people don’t quite understand simple cyber security tricks that can keep you protected. However, you don’t need to worry since we are here with 5 different ways you can protect yourself from cyber criminals and hackers.
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Keep Your Softwares Updated
When using a desktop or mobile phone we are least bothered about updating our software and applications and continue using older and outdated versions. Now, this is a grave mistake since it allows hackers and data breachers to enter into your device data through exploits and flaws that are usually present in older versions of different software. If using an older version of the software is the only choice you have, then try to download patches for all the known flaws in the software.
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Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) For Public Networks
A public wifi network is used by all sorts of people and you just don’t know which one of those people is a hacker trying to get access to information about you. To stop them from doing this, it is a good idea to use a VPN whenever you are using a public network.
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Don’t fall for Pop-Ups and Emails
We have all gotten emails that offer us things such as a $1000 dollar gift card for free or a wheel spin to get the latest iPhone. A lot of users, especially those belonging to the older generation think it’s a real offer and end up giving out things such as credit card credentials or passwords.
Each time you meet a fraudulent email or pop-up, it’s better to report it and avoid going to sites that have them in the first place.
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Strengthen Your Network
While most tips you would find on the internet are meant to keep hackers and data breaches away from your system. However, despite all efforts if one does manage to get inside a strong network will not let him access anything.
A great step to strengthening your network is including password encryption in all your important and private data. This way any intruder would find data but won’t have the access to it.
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Know How to Reach When Attacked
This is the last and the most important point, when attacked by a hacker it is important to not panic and take all the important precautions to protect other data and credentials. The moment you notice any unusual activity, be quick and contact support for relevant places such as websites and banks, get bank credit reports, and register a complaint with relevant authorities.
