How to prevent yourself being hacked or tricked by hackers
o prevent yourself from being hacked or tricked by hackers, here are essential personal cybersecurity practices to follow:
Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Create complex passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid reusing passwords. Consider using a local password manager to securely store and generate strong passwords.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra verification step beyond passwords wherever possible, ideally through an authenticator app instead of SMS.
Keep Software Updated: Regularly update your operating system, browsers, applications, and antivirus software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Beware of Phishing Attempts: Do not click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown or unsolicited emails or messages. Verify links by searching the official site instead of following email links.
Secure Your Devices: Use strong screen locks, PINs, or biometric authentication on smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Encrypt your devices where possible.
Avoid Unsafe Wi-Fi: Avoid conducting sensitive activities over public Wi-Fi networks. If necessary, use a trusted VPN service cautiously, understanding the risks involved.
Be Careful with Personal Information: Limit the amount of personal information shared on social media and adjust privacy settings to restrict who can see your data.
Back Up Your Data Regularly: Keep backups of important files on external drives or secure cloud services to protect against ransomware or hardware failure.
Use Trusted Sources: Only download apps, files, or software from official stores or trusted websites to avoid malware.
Use Email Spam Filters: Activate spam filters to block malicious emails, and never respond to or engage with suspicious emails.
Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly check your financial and online accounts for unusual activity to detect scams early.
Adopting these practices creates multiple barriers against cyberattacks and social engineering attempts, reducing the risk of being hacked or tricked by hackers.