Top tips to protect your identity online

 INTERNET TIPS

protect online identityTechnology has made our lives a lot easier, but that has come hand in hand with some loss of privacy. We share more and more information online, which exposes us to being victims of hackers or malicious people. Therefore, today I am going to share with you what I consider to be the best tips to protect your identity online . Surely many of you know them, but perhaps you are not applying them. Take the opportunity to change your habits. Your safety deserves it.

Regularly update the apps and programs you use

One of the main techniques that hackers have is to take advantage of security flaws in applications and programs. In fact, every time a software update is made, hackers do reverse engineering , to find out what aspect has been fixed, and therefore the failure of the previous version. That implies that using an outdated program is like having an open door to hackers. Luckily, it has an easy solution: you just have to update the versions of the programs and applications that you use.

 

Protect your keys

You’ve been told a thousand times. You have to put a strong and different password for each of the services you use. Yes, different. It is not worth that you use the same one everywhere, no matter how much it makes your life easier.

In addition, it is recommended that you put double authentication systems for the most sensitive services, such as your access to banking operations.

 

Protect your identity online thanks to a VPN

I have explained several times on the blog the advantages of using a VPN to protect the information that is exchanged between your device and the web to which you connect. The truth is that it is easy to hide your IP from prying eyes, you just have to look for the VPN service that best suits your needs . Thus, nothing you do online will leave a trace, and they will not be able to show you invasive advertising based on your behavior.

You can also use a secure browser , which will hide all your information, and will not allow any cookies.

Learn to manage cookies

 

Since we are talking about these small files that, in some cases, are necessary, but most of the time they are used to track your movements online, I think it is important to learn how to handle them.

When a website asks you if you want to accept cookies, have the reflex to look at which ones use . Many times, they want you to validate a lot of advertising cookies, but you can easily disable them, leaving only the necessary ones. It won’t take long, it’s just a matter of getting used to it.

Then you should also periodically delete both your browsing history and stored cookies . You can selectively delete them, so you don’t lose some default settings on the pages you use regularly.

 

Have an effective and updated antivirus

If you want to quickly identify threats such as viruses or malware, it is highly recommended that you have an updated version of an efficient antivirus program. There are free and paid versions , you will surely find the service adapted for you.

In your company, take care of the data of third parties

When we talk about protecting your identity online, we sometimes forget that, for a company, the problem of privacy goes further. It is not just a matter of complying with the data protection law , and, therefore, of taking care of the information of employees or clients. You also have to make sure that data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands due to security breaches.

Other reflections to protect your online identity

Never share sensitive information while connected to a public Wi-Fi network . I am referring to things like accessing your bank account, or entering the password for one of your most important services.
Create an anonymous email address to manage your payments or your records on web pages. I am referring to a web address that does not show your names and surnames, and therefore does not allow you to associate with the service.
Search Google from time to time and see what comes up, to check that there is no worrying information. Of course, lately search engines have quite strict privacy policies and do not show personal information so easily.

Your online identity and social networks

Social networks are a very propitious place for the publication of personal data, and the worst thing is that sometimes we do it voluntarily, without realizing what we are doing. To have more privacy on social networks , you can apply these tips:

Do not publicly share personal data that could be used to usurp your identity. Especially be careful with the biographies of your profiles.
Set your accounts to private whenever possible. You can also indicate in your profile that you do not want your information to be indexed by search engines.
Deactivate the accesses of third-party applications when they have already become outdated.
Read the conditions of use , and do not accept those that you consider contrary to your online privacy. Better not to use a service than to be exposed.
Turn off location history and non-essential cookies.