Nowadays the computer activity involves privacy and computer security issues and it is very important. However, not many companies or individuals are taking this matter seriously.The latest neglecting evidence is the hack that tripled the IT systems across the UK.
In reality the individuals and organisations who still dare to run outdated Windows version is at their own risk. Microsoft stopped their extended support on April 8th 2014. Windows 7 took over the market share along with the new Windows 10 the only version suitable for mobile devices.
Follow these 5 simple golden nuggets of security advises to minimize the risk of being hacked or expose vulnerable data.
Action 1 Update to improve your computer activity
When I was at University, I had a module called computer networks. The problem in reality is not that companies cannot afford the latest windows version. The real problems behind are the hassle and the amount of time to switch from one operation system to another. This would involve the interruption of the daily activities within a given organisation and might lead to losing money in the long term.
It takes only a few minutes to check for updates and install them. According to bestpctips.com – if you are lazy to do it today and avoid the regular updates distributed by Microsoft you are at huge risk of getting infected by dangerous malware.
So if you are running some older windows distribution go ahead and update immediately. If you are worried your computer is not capable to handle the newest versions. Why do not you try running Linux Ubuntu Distribution? This is very easy to use distribution and with easy to understand user interface and great supportive community.
Action 2 One Antivirus is more than enough
If you have more than one antivirus this won’t make your life easier and less vulnerable to the latest threads. As a matter of fact each new machine now comes with pre-installed operation system. Depending on the country you are located and the license agreement of your local retailers. It is more than likely that you will receive either Windows or Linux OS. If we assume that your retailer has licence to sell computers with pre-installed Windows, it is likely that the computer will come with antivirus too.
Do not forget that windows 10 already comes with pre-installed antivirus software. However, if you do not like it, you can install only one more another based on your preferences.
Action 3 Change Passwords often
This matter has been stressed for many years. It has been proven that many people still use the easiest passwords they can ever think of. Norton has few suggestions how to improve passwords and also few guesses of what your current password might be. Nowadays, you have the ability to choose second layer of authentication on many apps and websites.
It is recommended to use all of the available resources to prevent unwanted moments. Passwords should be changed regularly and as often as possible. You could use your google tasks and follow these steps to set up your first tasks. It is very easy and convenient to work with google products. I can say all of their apps and products are very intuitive. Google Gmail account is necessary and the email accounts are very secure. However, if you prefer highly encrypted emails with top notch security, take a look at this list for the best secure e-mails.
If you just cannot be bothered to remember all of that and use annoying reminders to change your passwords. The alternative solution to all of that is to use password manger. LassPass manages all of your online life for you.
Action 4 Back Up Your Data Daily
I am sure that everyone has important files, no matter whether that is photos, documents, music etc. Backing up all of that information regularly on external hard-drive might not be a bad idea at all to maintain secure computer activity.
I do have external hard drive for my bigger files and for the other ones it might be good idea to use cloud solutions which you can access anywhere and everywhere at any time. OneDrive is very popular solution and it is extremely cool if you use the mobile app. If you take a picture on your phone it is instantly available on OneDrive. The app is also pin protected and this makes your life much less stressful.
DropBox is another alternative solution to the cloud back-up. Similarly, to OneDrive. DropBox has a mobile app and you could sync all of your files instantly on to the cloud.
Google Drive is another alternative solution to cloud back-up. I usually use all of the above. Google Drive is mainly for my work and just, because I use other google products it makes more sense to upload the important documents onto Google Drive. Google Drive is also very useful to work on word or excel documents. It updates instantly and you can download or even share everything just with one click.
Action 5 Do Not Click Pay Just So Easy
Do you often shop online? As a matter of fact, who does not these days. However, with the online shopping comes the risk for your credit/debit card information to be hijacked. You should stay away from websites missing https://. As an example https://rumorfix.org/ has secure SSL certificate in order to process online payments. The certificate is already requirement set by Google if a website wants to rank on the search engine.
You will always be prompted to select a payment method. PayPal had been around for many years and I must say it is very secure method to pay. Google wallet is another alternative method for secure payment. Apple pay is another alternative method for apple products. By choosing to pay by third party Payment Gateway you minimise the risk of exposing your bank details information. Every single transaction goes on the third party website.
In this case you can be sure everything is under control. However, this does not mean that if you choose to pay with directly with your Credit/Debit card your information will be exposed. There are other payment gateways and secure precautions. Just look for the trusted logos and always check the links.
