Every day, we use the internet – it’s inevitable. The knowledge of how to stay safe when surfing is important for both private and professional use. The fact is that hackers and cybercriminals can threaten any organization, whether it is a giant corporation or a small start-up. Team members need to be on the same page when it comes to knowing how to surf safely. In that way, they will know what to avoid when it comes to malicious links, sites, and popups. The purpose of this blog post is to highlight the importance of safe surfing and share some tips on how to get everyone in your organization on the same page.
Internet surfing is like being a tourist in a new country
Imagine you are a tourist in a foreign country for the first time. Your excitement would probably be piqued at the prospect of seeing all the new sights and experiencing everything that it offers. Nonetheless, you may not be familiar with the local culture and layout of the city. Travelers should also be careful to keep their passports and wallet on them at all times, or they may not be able to fly home. Also, it is not advisable to distribute photocopies of your traveling companion’s passport.
It’s like traveling around the world at a much faster pace by browsing the internet. It is easy to move quickly from one website to another to find resources and information, but we don’t know what each website has to offer or how they are run. If we are in a hurry to meet a deadline, it can be easy to let our guard down. However, if you are careful about maintaining the security of your passport, wallet, and other people’s personal data in the real world, why wouldn’t you do the same on the internet?
GDPR Risks
A team member’s job includes browsing the internet on a daily basis. Whether they’re looking for tips for the next project, using cloud-based applications, or getting culinary inspiration, they may be searching for information.
The internet may not always be relevant to the work you do as a team, but one thing is certain: your team relies heavily on it. Removing internet access would hurt everyone’s productivity. Internet browsing poses many risks to the organization, so all its employees must be aware of them.
Personal data uploaded to third parties could present privacy and GDPR risks. An example would be merging or converting PDF files on a browser and then the browser application storing the data from those files without your knowledge.
A single click can lead to malware
The term malware covers a wide range of malicious code. It is usually a piece of code or a small program designed to infect your computer, and it is usually just a click away. Some examples are ransomware, keyloggers, and trojan horses. Malware can be used by cybercriminals to steal, commit fraud, and blackmail organizations.
Knowing how cybercriminals operate is essential to protecting your organization from malware. In order to gain access, they will try every method possible to penetrate the computer’s basic defenses.
Browse Privately Using VPN
Your business or personal web browsing habits can expose you to a wide range of risks, regardless of whether you run a business or shop online.
Your business and your personal information are at risk when you connect to the internet, including web browsing histories and payment information.
In order to protect yourself and your business online, you may have considered private browsing or choosing a free VPN. But which to choose?
I know it could be challenging to choose a reliable VPN or a private browser to browse safely.
However, instead of having a separate VPN or browser, we recommend using VPN browser by ITopVPN, a private browser (with built VPN), which stay safe from any kind of attacks.
Don’t know how VPN browser works?
iTop VPN Browser lets you surf the web safely and anonymously with built-in VPN software.
You are protected regardless of where you are, whether you are at school or at work, at home or in a coffee shop, at home or abroad. It has every feature you could imagine from a virtual private network, such as encryption, bypassing surveillance, and protection from online threats.
It only takes 3 steps to configure iTop VPN Browser.
Step 1. Download and run the app.
Step 2. Click Connect to connect to your chosen server.
Step 3. When needed, switch on or off the Anti-Tracking, Ad-Blocker, and Browsing Protection.
In addition to being a reliable free VPN browser, it provides the most secure and private environment when browsing the web. Because of the advanced data encryption and privacy technologies built into this browser with a built-in VPN, you will not be tracked, hacked, etc. Moreover, it can also remove restrictions to allow you to surf restricted websites.
Updating your computer is your best defense
Updated computers with updated software provide a good basic defense. Software updates include operating systems, applications, and anti-virus software. Having an ad-blocker on your browser can help minimize the possibility of infection by malware.
In our experience, updating a computer may seem straightforward, but it is often put off with the excuse of “I don’t have time now, I have more important things to do”. Here are a few tricks to help you remember to update your software:
- Activate automatic updates. It’s simple and easy.
- Schedule updates. By scheduling an update during a time when you do not have to reach a deadline, you will avoid being forced to do an update when you are already working to meet that deadline.
- Take the updates as an opportunity for a break. Set a reminder for when you will go for a coffee break if you see an update notification when you open your computer in the morning.
Many people still don’t do it even though it seems so simple.
Activating, approving, downloading, installing, running, and accepting all sorts of programs blindly will make even your upgraded computer difficult to defend. Keeping your team informed about best practices, threats, and trends related to cybersecurity is only logical.
Cybercriminals use macros as a method of committing crimes. To perform a task, for example, converting data, a macro combines instructions to perform a specific task. Word and Excel files often include macros. It is possible for cybercriminals to place malware into macros that are placed inside harmless-looking Office files.
In most cases, Office will open downloaded files in a protected view. Protected view prevents macros from being activated. Activating editing, however, will enable you to enable the macro.
Office files can contain malware, but most people aren’t aware of this and often ignore the warnings simply because they appear so frequently. This is when mistakes occur when your team does not consider these warnings. The greatest risk we face is human error.
Develop helpful guidelines
Adopting an Acceptable Use Policy is one step towards safe internet browsing. It outlines your team’s responsibilities regarding the proper use of the organization’s equipment, network, and internet. Guidelines for IT could include this. Teams and organizations would benefit from this. Everyone knows that certain types of browsing and downloading of files are prohibited. Creating clear guidelines for internet usage will ensure that the rules are followed.
Nonetheless, it is important to note that a policy can easily be forgotten and collect dust in a drawer. Keep the policy under review regularly to ensure that it meets the needs of the organization and communicate its importance to your team to avoid this problem.
Train your team to protect your IT systems
In some ways, browsing the internet is a vital part of most people’s daily lives. It also comes with certain risks. A good start is to have an Acceptable Use Policy and to update your systems frequently. In spite of this, surfing can be a jungle, and we need to be aware of all the possible ways your team can accidentally expose your team to cyber criminals. So how can we ensure safe surfing remains a top priority for everyone?
Continual learning can be a means of creating awareness. Your team can learn how to use the internet safely and avoid risks by giving them security training. You can also create a forum where your team members can discuss cybersecurity threats they have encountered and help their colleagues avoid them in the future. Your team can use the internet safely for what it’s meant for once you establish a culture of safe surfing in your company.
Hide Your Identity With Avatars
Stay anonymous and safe online. You and your team can create profiles that allow you to surf the Internet without revealing personal information. Make use of fictitious names and create avatars to represent those fictional personalities. With the best avatar maker apps, you and your team can design avatars to represent you online. You don’t need a photo that hackers can steal and use to glean information about you or your company. Avatar makers will help you craft avatar images that you can use for social media, messaging applications, forums, and more.
