In the COVID-19 era, businesses in India have steadily moved towards remote work arrangements. Similarly, schools have also had to navigate the new normal with the introduction of home-based learning (HBL). Most people anticipate that these new arrangements are here to stay even post-pandemic. As families spend more time on their devices at home, internet security has become very important to many people. What can you do to ensure that your family is using technology safely at home? In this article, we take you through 5 of the best ways you can protect your home from cybersecurity threats.
Manage your passwords
Do you use the same password across different online accounts? Or keep a list of all your passwords on a note in your phone? These are just some examples of bad password management habits that you should avoid.
For all your online accounts, use only strong passwords that are not easy to guess. A strong password consists of a combination of alphabets, numbers, and special characters; and should be 10-15 characters long.
Always use a different password for every account. If you are using the same password for all your accounts and someone hacks into one of them, then all your other accounts might also get compromised. Using a unique password will ensure that a single cybersecurity threat won’t affect all of your online activities or personal information.
It is important that you change your passwords regularly and not keep the same password for years. This will not only help to ensure internet security at home but also protect you against any unauthorised users who might be lurking.
Avoid becoming overwhelmed and confused by a large number of different passwords by using a password manager. It stores and protects your login credentials in an encrypted format, allowing you to use them directly in web forms.
ESET Smart Security Premium is an antivirus software that offers a password manager for all your devices. If you are running out of ideas for passwords, ESET built-in password generator feature will provide suggestions for strong passwords automatically. It provides the ultimate internet security for Windows and internet security for Mac, ensuring that all your devices are protected.
Invest in up-to-date antivirus software
India has seen a considerable rise in cyber security attacks by as much as 500% after the first lockdown was announced by the Indian government in March 2020. Most of these attacks include phishing emails and stolen passwords.
One way that hackers use to trick users into revealing their internet banking credentials is by sending phishing emails posing as bank employees. They use very accurately designed notifications from big companies citing “unusual sign-in activity detected from your account”. According to a National Crime Record Bureau report, 44,546 cybercrime cases were reported in India last year, which is 63% more than in 2018.
The increasing number and sophistication of internet threats show that maintaining an up-to-date antivirus and antispyware is crucial for ensuring internet security in your home. Good antivirus software will safeguard your devices from virus, malware, and ransomware, and those with antispyware detect and prevent unwanted spyware installations in your device and remove them if already installed.
Ensuring your software version is up-to-date is important, but we cannot forget that the software features must also keep up with your needs. With more people shopping online and using internet banking regularly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it has become essential to have banking and payment protection so that all your online transactions are secure. Choose an antivirus software that provides a secure browser that automatically protects you while internet banking and accessing web-based crypto-wallets. To understand which software suits your needs, compare the different ESET products.
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Educate your family
It's easy to get complacent about cybersecurity at home, but with the growing number of cyber threats in India, the topic cannot be ignored. Take the time to educate your family about the kinds of threats they face and how they can protect themselves.
Scammers use emails, social networks, gaming sites, video streaming sites and more to install malware in your device when you unknowingly visit a compromised website. Your family might be unaware of the possible online threats while downloading content or software from the internet, or using their email.
Security software automatically detects any malware while downloading a file, or opening an email attachment or URL, thus preventing your internet security from being compromised. That alone, however, isn't enough. With scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, everyone needs to easily recognise malware and phishing.
Opt for fuss-free protection
Nobody likes too many interruptions while using their device. The ideal antivirus software should offer non-disruptive, yet advanced protection (that means no annoying pop-ups).
Look for one that works quietly in the background and allows you to focus on your activities, such as gaming, where it's important to eliminate any distractions that could affect your experience.
Secure your router
Your internet router plays a vital role in ensuring the best internet security for your home. While having the best internet security software is important, investing in the right router is equally important.
After buying and installing a new router, a common mistake people make is retaining the default router settings. It’s best to secure your router by changing both the password used to connect to the router and the password used to access its settings. Learn how to configure your router securely here.
Lastly, don’t forget to keep your router’s firmware updated with the latest security updates. To do so, sign up to your router manufacturer’s alert list to get timely reminders as soon as the latest updates are available. To get the best internet security, it’s wise to spend a bit more to get a router from a reputable brand that provides updates for the next 2-3 years, instead of buying a low-priced router that leaves you vulnerable in the future.