In the modern age, you need to take every possible measure to protect your computer from any threats. The fact is that so many people’s computers are compromised in so many ways, most of which they have no idea exists.
You should take your privacy and security extremely seriously any time you are online. You are the only one responsible for it despite any assurances you may receive from various companies and services online.
Various studies, including one done by Microsoft, say billions of dollars are lost every year because most people do not adequately protect their laptops. There are limitless ways in which you can get attacked on the web.
The following are ways you can protect your laptop from all online threats:
1. Online Reputation
Of the amount lost every year to online threats, people lost the most significant portion because of damaged reputations. Billions of dollars lost every year mean that it is one of the most common and costly ways hackers can threaten you online.
Many people have difficulty understanding how damage to their online reputation could be so costly. We live in a time where most people will judge based on your online reputation. If someone wants to know anything about you, they will probably first look you up online.
Unless you meet someone in person, online is where they will form a first impression of you. as you probably know, it is challenging to fix a sour first impression.
When you have a poor online reputation, people will not want to associate with you, especially in a professional manner. The result is that you will lose money that you would have otherwise earned if you have a good reputation.
The best case in point is a sitting US congressman who has to step down due to compromising information found online. The inability to compete in the political sphere means plenty of lost income.
The same goes for business which malevolent parties can ruin by damaging their online reputation.
The best way for you to protect yourself against such threats is to take charge of your online reputation yourself. You not only need to watch what you say online but take proactive steps to rectify your reputation whenever someone smears it.
The good news is that various tools help you protect your online reputation, like Google alerts and SEO services. A reputation monitoring service like Persona could also be beneficial.
2. Defend Your Device
Like in the physical world, you need security to defend your laptop and any device connected to it from online threats. Cybersecurity should be at the forefront of every business and individual professional’s mind.
The first and simplest security action to take as far as security is concerned is to install an antivirus. It would help if you bought an antivirus for PC that suits your needs. An antivirus is a fantastic way to ensure the security and privacy of your laptop, especially from evil parties online.
A good company will load an antivirus with a variety of features to help protect your laptop. The first feature should be anti-malware capability, which allows the antivirus to locate harmful software and remove it from your computer.
The antivirus should also have a strong firewall that will block any external attempt to gain access to your computer. The firewall may also protect your laptop from contracting viruses while online. A firewall prevents online threats by preventing access which is the best way to protect your computer from online threats.
You especially need an antivirus if you keep sensitive information on your laptop. An antivirus should also offer webcam protection and password protection, two of the most popularly compromised elements in a laptop.
You should ensure that you keep the antivirus up to date, or it will not function optimally. The antivirus will always notify you whenever there is an option for an update.
Updates fix specific bugs that hackers can exploit and access your laptop if you don’t make them. Therefore, always take the time to install updates to your antivirus, no matter how cumbersome or time-consuming it seems.
You should also scan your computer every night and check for viruses using the security software. It ensures that the computer is always clean though you can set up automatic scans at specific times of the day.
3. Backup Everything
To be human is to err, and no matter how diligently you defend your laptop, you could always make a mistake, and a hacker could gain access to your device. Therefore, you need to back up everything on your computer as often as you can.
A popular kind of cyber attack in which hackers lock your computer and prevent you from gaining access to your files. If you need the files for work or another crucial purpose, such an attack could prove debilitating.
Therefore, you should back up everything on your computer that you need. The rule of thumb should be to back up as many files as you have space for in your storage space.
Storage space is the main issue as it concerns backing up your files. The cheapest way to back up your files is to buy an external hard drive and store your backup files in it. It will be offline, which makes it unhackable. If the downside is destroyed, so are your files.
The other option you have is cloud storage which means your files on a secure external server. It makes it easy for you to back up your files every day since you only have to upload them. However, you need to pay for cloud storage, and the more space you need, the more you will pay. Google Drive and Dropbox are excellent examples of cloud storage services.
In summary, the three ways to protect your laptop from online threats are by defending your device, backing up your files, and managing your online reputation.
Protecting your laptop from dangerous online threats is an everyday task. You need to be relentless if your computer is to remain private and secure.
You can do much more, but the three ways above should make your laptop sufficiently secure. The safer you can make your laptop, the better for all online networks.