Stay Safe Online

Use strong passwords

Using the same password for all your accounts makes it easy to remember. However, it also means a hacker needs to crack your password just once in order to gain access to everything. So, always use different passwords, and make sure they are strong. Opt for a combination of letters, numbers and common symbols – and ensure it is more than seven letters long. This doesn’t have to be gobbledegook – something like 1l0veF00tb@ll is memorable, but tough to crack. Microsoft has a dedicated site where you can test the strength of your password.•

Deal properly with suspicious emails

The easiest way for a fraudster to get hold of your personal details is if you hand them over willingly. Phishing is a technique where a fake email is sent to you that appears to be from a site you use regularly. The email will contain some story about updating your details and will ask you to click on a link to do so. Don’t do it. You’ll be directed to a fake site where your details will be harvested, which opens you up to possible identity theft. If you get an email that seems dodgy, ring the organisation it’s come from to double-check. Filtering spam out of your email can also help reduce the number of such emails you receive.

Retain a healthy air of cynicism

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If a businessman you’ve never met emails you offering several hundred thousand dollars, ask yourself why. Is it because you’ve randomly been chosen for an incredible piece of good fortune, or is it because he’s a scammer who will ask you to make several weighty payments in order to get your reward, before disappearing with all your money? These sort of emails are sent out all the time. If you get one, delete it.

Use a firewall

A firewall is a piece of software or hardware which renders your computer in effect invisible from hackers searching for soft targets. It can also halt some viruses (though you should also have anti-virus software). By using a quality firewall, you ensure hackers cannot easily breach your computer’s security.

Be careful when downloading

When downloading software from the internet, make sure you trust the site you are downloading it from. Disreputable sites may tack a bundle of spyware on to an otherwise innocent software package. Spyware installs itself on to your system and then works in the background, clogging up resources. Some particularly malicious variants can send sensitive information from your computer back to criminals. Anti-spyware software, such as Microsoft Defender, can give you added peace of mind.

Take responsibility

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “it will never happen to me”. Internet criminals are after one target only – the easy ones. If you fail to take basic precautions, you will be targeted. Security is your responsibility.

Keep sensitive details private

Take care not to give away too much information about yourself online. Social networking sites are accessible to all. Many people’s pages include details such as their full name and date of birth. Such details may enable criminals to piece together your identity.