{"id":13263,"date":"2016-10-19T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2016-10-19T13:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.au\/blog\/?p=13263"},"modified":"2019-11-15T22:48:06","modified_gmt":"2019-11-15T11:48:06","slug":"stop-doing-that-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.au\/blog\/stop-doing-that-online\/13263\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking smart: 7 things you need to STOP doing online"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the beginning, the Internet was not terrifically user friendly \u2014 early users needed tech chops just to get online, and they had to do so over a wired, dial-up connection<\/a>. Between those online pioneers\u2019 savvy and the relatively few other Internet users, online behavior with regard to security was not a headline issue.<\/p>\n

Flash forward to the present and the world of ubiquitous Wi-Fi and social networking. Gone are the hurdles to enter the World Wide Web. Connecting is so easy that toddlers can tap around the Web on a tablet; great-grandparents can get online, anywhere, without even realizing it; we can buy, sell, bank, work, and socialize online; and the entire ecosystem is rife with dangers and malefactors.<\/p>\n

We often talk about needing to be more careful than ever, but it\u2019s never been easier to be careless.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are seven things, many of which are common behaviors or easy traps people walk into every day, to stop doing immediately. A not-to-do list, if you will.<\/p>\n

1. Trusting open Wi-Fi<\/h3>\n

Everything about an open Wi-Fi connection puts you at risk, starting with the trust you place in the network\u2019s legitimacy. For example, criminals may create a Wi-Fi hotspot<\/a> and name it something plausible, like \u201cMcDonalds open wifi\u201d or \u201cHotel Guest 3.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, let\u2019s say you\u2019ve made sure an open Wi-Fi network is really what it appears to be. That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s safe \u2014 it means that \u201cnetwork: librarywifi; password: ReadBooks!\u201d really belongs to library, not that criminals aren\u2019t lurking on that network. If you must use the network, do so as safely as possible<\/a>: avoid visiting sites that require a login, and especially avoid any financial transactions. No banking, no shopping. If possible, use a VPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

2. Choosing simple, guessable passwords<\/h3>\n

Pets\u2019 names, birthdays, family names, and the like make for supremely insecure passwords. Instead, start with things other people are unlikely to guess, and use our password checker<\/a> as a tool to help you learn to build better passwords.<\/p>\n

The good news is, a reliable password doesn\u2019t have to be something like ML)k[V\/u,p%mA+5m<\/i> \u2014 some random string you\u2019ll never remember. Try our techniques to create strong passwords that are easy to memorize<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Reusing passwords<\/h3>\n

So, you\u2019ve chosen an awesome new password. Strong like bull. Easy to remember, hard to crack. Guess what? You\u2019re going to need more passwords. Because although yes, you could certainly be the victim of a hacker who guesses your password, the odds are much better that your login credentials will be compromised in some gigantic database hack<\/a>. And if one login name and password opens your e-mail, bank account, Amazon, Facebook\u2026well, you get the idea.<\/p>\n

4. Clicking links in e-mails<\/h3>\n

Who thought clickable links in e-mail were a good idea? Well, lots of people \u2014 including criminals. Clicking on a link in spam or phishing e-mail may take you to a site that automatically downloads malware to your computer or to a site that looks familiar but steals your password. At the very least, clicking will confirm to spammers that a person opened the message \u2014 it lets them know they found a mark.<\/p>\n

Bonus: Stop clicking on Facebook like-farming links<\/a>. You know the ones \u2014 Like and Share to win an iPhone<\/i>! Like this if you think it\u2019s wrong to torture animals<\/i>! At best, you merely won\u2019t win anything, but it\u2019s safe to say you will be helping out scammers and validating shady businesses practices, and there\u2019s always the risk of getting suckered into installing malware (in which case, we can help<\/a> \u2014 but it\u2019s better to avoid the malware to begin with).<\/p>\n

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#Didyouknow<\/a> that #socmedia<\/a> sites like #facebook<\/a> are hotbeds for #phishing<\/a> schemes? https:\/\/t.co\/3nEtaHaZqL<\/a> #netsec<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0ykifSi1nC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kaspersky (@kaspersky) May 23, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n