Halloween is just round the corner and by the time you will read this, you will already be mid-way into finalizing things for the day. You must have read our other articles on this festival –recipes, special apps, gadgets for kids, and so on. You can revisit those articles if you want to refresh your thoughts. This article isn’t however an extension of those. Rather, here we are sharing with you the simple tricks and do-able tips that you can follow in order to keep yourself online safe, this Halloween. We wish that you remember this year’s festival for the right reasons and not because you unsuspectingly invited trouble while you were shopping online…
If you closely analyze the relationship between Halloween and the Internet, you will agree that you must have already used or will be using this medium for organizing a variety of stuff for the day – on the Internet you will find:
- Online music
- Online recipes
- Online shopping portals
- Online Games
- Inspiration
- Quotes
And so on… the list actually is endless.
Although you may have missed out on the safety quotient, we remembered it for you… We have rounded up a few elementary guidelines that you can yourself apply to keep your digital information safe and away from the prying eyes of e-threats. So, here you go…
- Practice safe browsing habits
You should always practice this, and more so when there is some event happening just round the corner. Just like you are excited and busy looking for Halloween tips, software developers with malicious intent are busy creating codes that are looking for the slightest vulnerabilities in your security solutions or your browsing habits to enter your PC and cause you harm. Do not click on any random link, even if the deals on offer are too good to resist. Opening unsolicited mails and from unknown senders can land you in trouble too. Be careful of the websites you are visiting and the online portals where you may be placing an order. The costume you just ordered online may never reach you… beware!
- Boost up the security of your browser
No matter which browser you may be using, there is simply no harm in revisiting its security settings to make sure that they have been customized as per your needs. If you have youngsters in the family who may be using your PC, especially around this time, do not forget to turn on the parental controls and if they are already turned on, check them out to make things doubly sure.
- Be careful with the e-mail address you will share on most portals
Typically, you will be only visiting shopping portals that you generally visit. However, if you are also visiting websites for the first time and they require you to furnish your e-mail address and other banking or financial details, take care about what you share. If nothing else, be prepared to get your mailbox flooded with irrelevant promotional ads. Therefore, if you want to remain safe, you can open a new mail account and use it for these purposes. At least, you can minimize the annoyance and harm this way…
- Keep your online data safe
To keep your sensitive files and documents safe, create backups and store them appropriately so that they aren’t stolen, manipulated or worse still deleted from your hard disks even if there is an intruder that has gotten into your PC. While your security solution is protecting you real-time, you can work on it yourself too and even share the tips with your family, friends and other people who you wish well.
- Take care while using unsecure wireless networks
Lastly, be careful when using a wireless network from a public place. If you are planning to be out this evening and have to complete your last minute online shopping from the public venue, take utmost care. Unsecure wireless networks are virus and malware dens and by accessing such networks, you will also carry home malware that have the capacity to manipulate your data and land you in scams…
Enjoy Halloween and participate in all fun activities, but, remember to be safe physically and online… To start with, how about installing the TechGenie Free Antivirus software program on your PC?
And yes, once you have set the program, do not forget to share with us how you spent your day…
