Technology is a great resource that has added a new level of convenience and automation to our daily lives.

Technology allows us to have access to most any information instantaneously. It also helps us stay in touch with our friends and family no matter where they live. Now, if that isn’t amazing, I don’t know what is!

Technology, however, is not without a dark side. Everyone who uses the internet is at Risk of having their personal information exposed.

Whenever you are online or on your computer you put yourself at risk of being hacked.

Although some like to believe that this would never happen to them, they are wrong. In fact, having a false sense of security can put you at an even greater risk, because it can allow you to be uninformed and unaware of possible dangers. Luckily, you can learn more about risks like this through places like an Ottawa IT support company. They can really help you better understand security risks online. However, until then here are some tips to help you avoid putting yourself and your family at risk.

1. Virus Protection

Getting a good virus protection software is a great step in the right direction for anyone who wants to Secure their online data. Many hackers bind programs to key loggers and try to infect people who download them. The program will then sit on the user’s computer and secretly record their activity, but the information is then sent to a remote server so that the hacker can access it. Keeping a powerful and updated anti-virus program on all of your devices will help prevent that problem.

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2. Avoid Obvious Passwords

If a hacker has the password to your email, social media account or bank account, then they will also have access to most of your private information. Most people use passwords that are easy to remember, such as pet names, birthdays and anniversaries, but doing so is not wise. Hackers will try to learn as much about you as they can when trying to gain access to your personal details. That is why it is a good idea to use a complex password that is all but impossible to guess.

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3. Secure Connection

By default, information that is sent over the internet is in plain text. In other words, it would not take much effort for a hacker to intercept and read your data. This problem is magnified when people use the internet to make purchases or to pay their bills. Reputable websites will use a Secure Connection that encrypts your online communications, and you can tell when a site is utilizing an encryption algorithm by the padlock symbol in your address bar.

SSL – Secure Sockets Layer

Even though the internet creates some risks of which you should be aware, it still offers more benefits than dangers. The key is to take steps to protect yourself from being compromised, and using anti-virus software, complex passwords and encrypted connections will work wonders to keep you safe.