Top 10 Most Effective Ways to Protect Online Identity 2021

Protect Online Identity, Protect your data and identify online, protect your privacy, protect your personal data, online privacy protection

We can’t deny ourselves the joy and please of staying connected with our loved ones and also surfing the web for information and games.

Nevertheless, the dangers associated with online presence can not be over emphasized.

This article brings to you the 10 most effective ways that you can protect your online identity and avoid those dangers of hackers stealing your private information for any reason.

Without saying much, let’s get it started.

Protect Online Identity – Top 10 Most Effective Methods.

Install the latest security updates.

It’s of utmost importance that you keep your devices and apps updated, especially ones that hold personal or financial data. By keeping apps up to date, you ensure you’re using the most secure version with the latest bug fixes and security patches.

Use End-to-end encrypted messaging apps for privacy.

End-to-end encryption means that only you and the recipient can read the message you send and no one, not even the company (in most cases) can access the message. It’s highly advisable to use an app that has end-to-end encryption, such as Telegram or Signal if you want the contents of your messages to be secure and your online identity to be protected.

Use a virtual private network (VPN).

A virtual private network (VPN) gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public internet connection. VPNs mask your Internet Protocol (IP) address so your online actions are virtually untraceable.

Using a VPN is especially important when you’re on public Wi-Fi at a library, coffee shop, or other public location. A VPN will make it more difficult for cybercriminals to breach your online privacy and access your personal information.

See: DOWNLOAD || Top Free VPN for Android, iOS, Windows in Nigeria 2021

Turn on two-factor authentication for your main and private accounts.

Exploit that extra layer of security by turning on two-factore authentication on your devices and accounts.

Many Social media apps like Whatsapp already let you enable 2-step verification feature easily. This form of authentication is strong, as it requires something only you know i.e. a password and something only you receive i.e. such as a multi-digit code sent to your phone via email or SMS.

Protect Online Identity by Using quality antivirus software.

Don’t neglect to install quality antivirus software on all of your devices. This software can keep hackers from remotely taking over your computer, accessing your personal and financial information, and tracking your location. Manufacturers frequently update their virus protection software as a defense against the latest malware, spyware, and other viruses. Install updates as soon as they become available or set up automatic updates on all your devices if you want to protect your online identity.

Browse in incognito or private mode.

If you don’t want your device to save your browsing history, temporary internet files, or cookies, the do your web surfing in incognito or private mode.Web browsers offer their own versions of this form of privacy protection. In Chrome, it’s called Incognito Mode. Firefox calls its setting Private Browsing, and Internet Explorer uses the name InPrivate Browsing for its privacy feature. When you search with these modes turned on, others won’t be able to trace your browsing history from your computer.

But these private modes aren’t completely private. When you’re searching in incognito or private mode, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can still see your browsing activity. If you are searching on a company computer, so can your employer. The websites you visit can also track you.

So, yes, incognito browsing does have certain benefits. But it’s far from the only tool available to help you maintain your privacy while online.

Limit the personal information you share on social media.

Common sense will know that it is a Smart move to help protect your identity online by just sharing a little of our personal information online. Giving out too much information on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram could make it easier for cybercriminals to obtain identifying information, which could allow them to steal your identity or to access your financial information.For example, could an identity thief determine your high school mascot or your mother’s maiden name from digging through your Facebook account? This information is sometimes used as security questions to change passwords on financial accounts.To protect your online identity, ignore the “About Me” fields in your social media profiles. You don’t have to let people know what year or where you were born — which could make you an easier target for identity theft. Explore different privacy settings, too. You might want to limit the people who can view your posts to those you’ve personally invited.Create strong passwords, too, for your social media profiles to help prevent others from logging into them in your name. This means using a combination of at least 12 numbers, special characters, and upper- and lower-case letters.

See Also: Quick Guide on How To Recover Hacked Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp Accounts

Try a different search engine.

It is no doubt that most of us that do web surfing rely heavily on Google as a search engine. But we don’t have to. Privacy is one reason people prefer to use anonymous search engines.This type of search engine doesn’t collect or share your search history or clicks. Anonymous search engines can also block ad trackers on the websites you visit.

Beware of indiscriminate clicking.

Phishing has been proven to be the most common ways in which hackers compromise your online privacy. In phishing, scammers try to trick you into providing valuable financial or personal information. They’ll often do this by sending fake emails that appear to be from banks, credit card providers, or other financial institutions. Often, these emails will say that you must click on a link and verify your financial information to keep your account from being frozen or closed. Don’t fall for these scams. If you click on a phishing link, you could be taken to a spoofed webpage that looks like the homepage of a bank or financial institution. But when you enter in your account information, you’ll be sending it to the scammers behind the phishing attempt.Before clicking on suspicious links, hover your cursor over the link to view the destination URL. If it doesn’t match the financial website you use, don’t click.

Use strong passwords for your accounts.

Too often, people pick weak passwords that are overly easy for anyone to guess. When choosing a password, make it as hard to guess as possible. Be creative, aim for a long mix of uppercase and lower case characters, numbers, and symbols. Once you have a strong password, make sure to protect it. Don’t use the same password for all your accounts and logins. Of course, having lots of unique, complex passwords can make it hard to remember them all. That’s why you should use a password manager to store your hard-to-remember passwords and access them from multiple devices.