Although many people love to browse casually or do business online, only a few take precautionary measures to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. Switching on incognito mode is not enough to keep you safe online.
Remember, someone can be after your data even if you’re not doing anything illegal. Think about companies and political parties who are after your data, which can help them target the correct audience and gain power!
Safe Browsing Practices
Although it seems like an uphill task, staying safe online is easier than you might think, and just about anyone can do it. Let’s go through some easy strategies, starting with our favorite.
1. Use A Proxy Server
A datacenter proxy goes between you and online web pages to prevent cyber attacks. It takes in your data, encrypts it, and sends it through a network of servers before forwarding it to your desired destination. When the proxy sends out your data, it decrypts and makes it look like it originated from there rather than your computer.
The downside of data center proxies is that secure sites can easily flag them down. However, you can switch to a residential proxy – it’s a more reliable option because it offers the IP addresses of actual people.
Furthermore, a residential proxy makes it hard for internet service providers to take a peek at what you’re doing and allows you to circumvent firewalls and geo-restricted websites.
2. Switch To TAILS Operating System
The high number of ads you see on your computer is attributable to the massive digital tracking companies conduct to understand you better. Adverts are necessary for free web access. However, you should worry if businesses have so much information about you or if they watch your every move.
Fortunately, the Tails operating system can help prevent such invasive tactics. With the OS, you’re safe from hacking, online harassment, invasion, identity theft, and many other things. “Tails” stands for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, suggesting the OS is built for the sole purpose of keeping you anonymous when browsing.
Tails has a built-in tor and runs off your computer’s RAM. So, once you shut off your computer, any data lingering on the system is gone!
3. Use The Tor Browser
Tor, also known as “the onion router,” is not a physical router that you can install in your home but a networking protocol integrated into the popular Tor Browser to anonymize the data you relay across it.
It keeps you anonymous by encasing your information in multiple layers of encryption, then sends it through numerous nodes that peel back the layers.
Tor makes it almost impossible for snoops to see your online activity.
Although Tor sounds like a great alternative to traditional web browsers, it is imperfect. It leaves you vulnerable until your traffic reaches the Tor network. That’s why it’s important to couple it with a proxy or VPN to hide that jump.
4. Avoid Unsecured Sites
Always check the URLs of the sites you visit and avoid illegitimate sites.
URLs with “https://” are legitimate, but those with only “http://” do not hold the same level of security. You can alternatively look for the lock icon in the address bar; sites without the lock display a “not secure” warning on all their pages.
Also, stay away from spoof sites – these are replicas of trusted websites. For example, if a company’s website is “https://www.company.com,” a spoof site may look like “https://www.companny.com” or “https://www.ccompany.com.”
5. Don’t Click Potentially Dangerous Links
Cyber attackers are a creative lot of people. They employ social engineering strategies on unsuspecting web users, especially those with an insatiable appetite for freebies. Hackers may use explicit content, torrent-based links, and downloadable proprietary content to lure you into their trap. Attackers may also send irresistible emails with links that can download malware onto your computer if you’re not careful.
Become Invisible Online
All safe browsing practices boil down to staying anonymous on the web. Attackers don’t target what they can’t see. Also, businesses won’t show you ads if you don’t expose your browsing activity.
The good news is that you can achieve safe and secure web browsing by switching to the Tor Browser and operating systems that promote privacy.
Want to know more about web browsing and how much of the internet is the dark web in 2022? read our article about if here.
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Written by Allison Langstone
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