With the world at your fingertips, it’s important — now more than ever — to ensure you are keeping yourself, your information and your loved ones safe.
Safer Internet Day was Feb. 6. Now is the best time to learn how to take full advantage of all the internet can do while keeping safe browsing in mind.
- Carefully read any URL that you enter. A mistyped word may send you to a malicious site that takes advantage of people mistyping popular URLs.
- Check for URLs that begin with “https.” If the URL doesn’t start with “https,” think twice before entering any data because it is not a secure site.
- Verify website names. Websites with a “.gov” or “.edu” domain are generally safe to access, but be wary of domains that don’t look familiar.
Web browser security
When using web browsers like Chrome or Edge, be cautious before entering private and personal data, such as credit card information, names and email addresses. Here are some tips to keep your web browser secure:
- When prompted, update your computer and web browser or set up automatic updates.
- Stay vigilant of pop-ups, where they can redirect you or what they prompt you to download.
- Don’t ignore warnings from your web browser about a potentially malicious website.
- Putting your web browser into a private mode can protect your privacy by limiting the data, such as cookies and browsing history, shared with other websites and companies.
- Be cautious of syncing any web browser search history, passwords or payment information on public or shared computers.
- Make sure to log out of your web browser account before closing it.
