Protect yourself online

Update your softwareOperating systems and browsers are constantly updated to close any exploits or vulnerabilities that are found So it is necessary to always keep all your software up to date If you dont want to update it while working you can also schedule it for the nightSecure your browserYou may want to also secure your browser by checking its security details in the settings The balanced profile is usually good enough but if you want to be extra safe you may want to up the security This will prevent the most harmful trackers from tracking your personal information Also make sure Adobe Flash is always blocked If you want to be hyper safe try browsing from Tor Browser Vivaldi or SRWare Iron insteadDont trust anyoneThis one goes without saying but needs to be said Dont trust anyone On the internet people may not be who they seem and this is a golden rule Besides dont download from any site you dont know or install the software you are not sure of Emails may also contain hazards so dont open any emails or attachments from people you dont know or people you know mailing you from email addresses you dont recogniseDont store your credit card info on shopping sitesA lot of us store crucial credit card information and other details on our favourite shopping sites This is dangerous in case you lose your account to a hacker that information is now in their hands I would go as far as to say that dont keep money on shopping wallets as well until needed The wallets are soft targets and they can be used to buy things without much interventionEnable twostep verification for everythingTwostep verification while not flawless is a great way to keep you safe from losing all your data So eithershare your phone number for SMS verification or install Google Authenticator for instant algorithmbased verifications It may get annoying but at least your data is saferBack upAlways back up your data You can either do it on a pen drive or an external hard drive This is just in case your computer is infected with ransomware There are particularly nasty ones out there and in this case prevention is better than cure unless you want to fork out a significant cash tip to hackers Try to back up at least once a day and use an external device or something like Google drive to save your precious filesCover your webcamCovering your webcam with a piece of dark tape is a great way to prevent hackers from using it against you Yes your laptop webcam has a little light to tell you its on but a skilled hacker can turn that notification off There are several instances where hackers record videos of their victims and then use it to blackmail them If you have an external webcam disconnect it when not in useEncryption is your friendEncryption is a brilliant way to prevent sensitive data from being exposed in case your computer gets hacked into Bitlocker Drive for Windows only available in Windows Pro version and FileVault by Apple are a great way to do this In case you dont have Windows Pro get AxCrypt instead You will have to enter a password every time you try to access those files but it is worth the security thats offeredGet a VPNGetting a VPN or a Virtual private network is a great way to protect yourself from prying eyes A VPN bounces your data off a distant server making it appear to online trackers like you are in another location VPNs are great at protecting your identity online and a worthy investmentGet a password managerIdeally each site you visit must have its own unique password but remembering so many passwords can become a superhuman feat So instead it may be a good idea to install a password manager like Last Pass or KeePass The app does all the remembering for you and all you have to do is remember one password to your password keeperUse Windows defender or some firewallIf you are on Windows you might want to turn on and update Windows Defender It is a costeffective way to keep the most dangerous things out of your computer Over the years Windows Defender has become very good at keeping everything safe If you are on another operating system consider installing a firewallLinksEncryptionBitlocker Drive httpsbitlysmdbitlockerFileVault httpsbitlysmdfilevaultAxcrypt httpsbitlysmdaxcryptVPNNord httpsbitlysmdnordPrivate Internet Access httpsbitlysmdpiaaPassword managerLast Pass httpsbitlysmdlastpassKeepass httpsbitlysmdkeepassReview One Plus 8 ProOnePlus 8 Pro Glacial GreenThe One Plus 8 Pro is expensivemdashthere is no question about that However it offers a lot to its users than most other phones priced higher than itIts a 67inch beautifully smooth screen with a 120Hz refresh rate Everything looks great on it even at the default Full HD resolution The screen has a maximum resolution of 1440X3168 pixels which offers a lot more details The inscreen fingerprint scanner has also improved significantly from previous generations it still isnt as good as a backpanel scanner but its getting thereI also like the curved edged on either side of the screen But the included screen guard had to be thrown out because it kept coming off at the edgesThis time One Plus has also sprung for the dust and water certifications IP68 which means it should survive regular trysts with dust and maybe an accidental swim or twoThe camera on this phone is also phenomenal I managed to snap up some pretty good pictures in a variety of lighting conditions and the macro mode does a particularly good job of taking upclose picturesThe 8 Pro is running a topofline 865 Qualcomm processor the phone I tested was the 8GB 128GB version R54999 There is a 12GB 256GB R59999 available as well Gaming is a lot of fun on this device the 120hz and processor make a differenceIf you are in the market for a great phone at a higher budget the One Plus 8 Pro is the way to goCamera image samples httpsbitly2NIE0JhCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the 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