We all have done it, really. Clicking on random links we receive in emails or using public Wi-Fi to do banking transactions or using an easy to remember, weak password to sign up on most services.
Who’d want to hack my account on the online food ordering app? Nobody’s interested in my personal information. Don’t hackers have more important people to stalk?
We casually ignore the threats assuming these trivial mistakes in our everyday online behavior don’t really matter. But any mistake can jeopardize our digital security, and it’s time we fix them.
Using weak passwords
Never use a weak password. We’ve reiterated this a zillion times, but it still needs to be stated. You should never use weak passwords or reuse the same password for more than one accounts.
Always use strong and unique passwords for each login account.
Bonus tip: You can use Password Generator in Enpass to create strong and unique passwords every time you sign up for a new service or on an app. Then, each time you’re logging in, Enpass will autofill the credentials so you won’t need to remember those.
Transacting on public Wi-Fi networks
Free public Wi-Fi is ubiquitous now and most convenient. However, most public wireless networks lack proper security leaving users exposed to man-in-the-middle attacks and other nefarious ways for hackers to snoop in your information.
Hence, it is always recommended to not carry out important financial transactions or secure file sharing, etc. when connected to public Wi-Fi networks. Or better still – get yourself a VPN and keep your communication safe and under the radar.
Clicking on suspicious links
When an email message or a social media post tempts you to click on a hyperlink, don’t do it. More so, if a URL shortening service is in use.
Use your best judgment, inspect the sender and the intent first. Masquerading as official communication from legitimate companies or trusted individuals, these links might take you to malicious sites aimed to steal sensitive information.
Downloading files from random sources
Downloading files from any random source increases the risk of being hit by malware. You should always download files by browsing to the original provider or a trusted third-party host.
Submitting information on non-secure websites
Of course, you shouldn’t submit information on non-secure websites, but how do you tell if a website is secured or not?
It’s easy. Just check the URL to find out if it uses HTTPS instead of HTTP – the former indicates a secure website. By being vigilant, you can avoid sending data to websites in an unsafe manner.
These small, easy to follow tips significantly reduces the chance of online threats. Are there things that we missed? Do you have a best practice that we didn’t touch upon? Tell us on Twitter at @EnpassApp or on Facebook. You may also drop us a line at support@enpass.io for any help, and to start any discussion, head straight to the Enpass Forums.