Safer Internet Day 2024 Blog

• by Anthony Orjally
• Advent IM Blog

Using the internet can be an amazing thing… but can also be dangerous. As a newcomer in security, I’ve been able to understand that my previous actions left me at risk of my data being available to anyone!

For Safer Internet Day, this blog will cover how you can have not just a safer day, but a Safer Internet Life.

Choosing Passwords

Picking a password can be an annoying task, as sometimes they’re too weak, then they’re too common, or they’re too long…. The list goes on. Opting for a password that contains a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols is the way to go. When logging in, you will almost certainly forget it on your first few tries but the reward of relief is worth it. Why is this relief? Because now you know there is an extremely low chance of someone gaining access to this account. Let’s create an example here;

Password with letters: LamborghiniAventador

Password with letters, numbers, symbols: L4mB0rGh1n!4v3NtAd&R

If the hacker knew the password was your favourite car, which one would they be more likely to guess? Baring in mind, this is just an example, there could be hundreds of variations to the words Lamborghini Aventador, which makes it extremely unlikely that a hacker would gain access to your account.

Another mistake people make related to passwords is when you use the same one across different websites. Whilst it can be easier to remember just 1 password, then all it takes is for one of your accounts to be compromised and every single one of them is now at risk.

Visit haveibeenpwned.com to see if your email & password have been part of a data breach.

Turning on 2FA

Two Factor Authentication provides an extra layer of security to your account/s. The first factor is logging in with the password, and the second factor is the further requirement needed to login to your account. This could come in the form of text on screen, approving a user, typing in a code, etc.

In 2022 Google reported that they had a 50% increase in security, for 150 million users, once 2FA was implemented, showcasing that it has a huge success rate. Whilst it’s not the perfect solution, it certainly reduces the chance of an account compromise by a huge amount.

Use a Secure Internet Connection

Being outside, public WIFI is certainly a convenience we’ve used before… but what’s the catch? You’re now vulnerable to any cyber-attacks, given you don’t know the security of the WIFI you’re connected to, who’s behind it, etc. Therefore, it’s best to be safe and avoid it when possible. If you do need to access it, then use a VPN. Due to the encryption protocols, any bad actors won’t be able to view your personal information, as your online activity will be protected.

An absolute NO when using public WIFI is carrying out transactions. Often, public WIFI doesn’t have encryption therefore not only is your personal data now at risk, but also any financial information that was used to carry out the transaction is also at risk.

In summary, the way you can become safer on the internet is by having the mentality to carry out extra small jobs. Why take the risk of your account being hacked/data being leaked because you couldn’t be bothered to carry out a few extra tasks? It takes no more than 5 seconds to type in a 2FA code, create a strong password, or use a VPN – so don’t cut any corners and stay secure!