Cyber Security Best Practices Everyone Should Be Aware Of

Chances are you’re familiar with basic security steps to keep yourself and your belongings safe: Always avg internet security lock your car at night and don’t leave valuables Install Avg With License Number activation where people avg.com/retail    can see them. Keep your home locked avg antivirus free and well lit. Be aware of your surroundings when walking or running alone. The list goes on…

But these days, it seems like half your life is lived online. Between automatic bill paying, online banking and even virtual doctors’ appointments, you have plenty of valuable information available www.avg.com/activate in the avg.com/retail    digital world. Are you taking the same precautions online that you do in real life?

Cyber security is important, but many people also don’t know where to start. If you’re looking for easy-to-follow Install Avg With License Number activation cyber security best practices avg antivirus free, we’ve got you covered avg internet security. We asked information security pros to share their best advice for keeping data safe and secure.

Cyber security best practices nearly anyone can adhere to

Cyber attacks occur at an alarming rate—and while many of these attacks are aimed at high-profile targets, don’t make the mistake of assuming you won’t be at risk. Cyber attacks can affect anyone with Internet access. These days, that includes nearly everyone.

Put these expert cyber security best practices avg antivirus free to work to keep you and your sensitive avg internet security www.avg.com/activate information safe from would-be hackers.

1. Don’t get lazy with passwords

Most people know it’s important to choose strong passwords—but you seem to need a password for everything! While it may be tempting to cut corners when it comes to passwords, that’s Install Avg With License Number activation exactly what cyber criminals are hoping to take advantage of.

“Weak or stolen passwords are the cause of many of today’s breaches and security incidents,” says Kendall Blaylock, director of cyber intelligence for HORNE cyber“We suggest utilizing a password manager to generate avg antivirus free and store your passwords—there are free ones available everywhere.”

Many of those password managers will have the option to auto-fill new passwords with random strings of numbers, letters www.avg.com/activate and symbols. But if you’d rather create a password you have a chance of avg.com/retail    remembering avg internet security, there’s another option. “Instead of setting a cryptic password that you have to Install Avg With License Number activation write down somewhere to remember, use a short sentence,” says Rema Deo, managing director at 24by7 security, who suggests something like “Mymomtaughtmetosave2yearsago!” as an example. “A long password, though avg antivirus free it might be easy to memorize, will still take years to be guessed by a password-cracking algorithm.”

2. Make your online shopping secure

Online shopping is a convenience that many people use on a regular basis. But when we get too comfortable with online shopping, we may forget to take basic precautions. “Some sites are backed by cyber criminals with the sole intent of collecting personal and financial information from victims,” Blaylock says.

“To avoid malicious sites, we suggest only making online purchases from retailers that you trust and that avg.com/retail    are verified,” Blaylock says. The easiest way to do this is to look for “https” and a padlock www.avg.com/activate icon at the top of  avg internet security your browser. This indicates that the site is running an SSL certificate and is secure for online purchases.

You can keep your credit card even more secure by using an online wallet system or app, like Venmo® or Apple Pay®. You give your payment information to your wallet app, then use the app to make purchases on other websites. “Rather than displaying your credit card information, digital wallets populate a one-time code for each transaction,” Blaylock says.

3. Be cautious with email

You probably think you’re too smart to fall for the infamous Nigeria Prince Scam, but phishing scams are getting more sophisticated and harder to detect with each passing day. These email scams are designed  www.avg.com/activate to trick users into giving up personal information Install Avg With License Number activation or clicking on unsafe links avg internet security. Though many are caught by email providers’ spam filters, you need to be alert for any that slip through to your inbox.

“Be cautious of emails that request personal information or account confirmations,” Blaylock says. Many phishing scams avg.com/retail    will pretend to be from a legitimate company you do business with, such as Netflix avg antivirus free. But if they tell you they need your password to verify your account, or you need to send them your credit card number because your payment has failed, that’s a massive red flag.

“As a rule of thumb, do not share your personal or financial information via email with anyone and avoid suspicious www.avg.com/activate links,” Blaylock says. Legitimate businesses won’t ask these types of questions via email. If you’re concerned about the validity of Install Avg With License Number activation an email, contact the avg.com/retail    company avg internet security directly by calling their customer service line. Taking a small step to verify a suspicious email can potentially save you a lot of time and hassle.