10 Tips for Protection Against Hacker Attacks

Data theft and identity theft – everyone who regularly uses the internet and is concerned about protection against hacker attacks has probably thought about this at some point. This may also be due to the fact that there is hardly a social network left that has not been affected by hacker attacks in which the attackers were able to access a large amount of user data. Many people wonder whether it is even possible to protect themselves from such incidents. The answer is: Unfortunately, there is no such thing as one hundred per cent protection against data theft. But there are a few measures you can take to be on the safe side as far as possible. Read this article to find out what they are.

10 Tips for Protection Against Hacker Attacks

1. a well-protected computer is half the battle for protection against hacker attacks

A good antivirus programme on your computer is the be-all and end-all of data protection for personal data. Make sure that you also update your virus programme regularly. Because if you don’t download and install security updates, even the best antivirus programme will be of no use to you. The firewall should also always be activated when surfing the Internet. This tip applies to all operating systems, as well as PCs, tablets and smartphones.

2. use different email addresses

We have to enter an email address for many of the activities we do online, regardless of whether we are applying for a job, placing orders or subscribing to newsletters. To remain as anonymous as possible, you should also use different e-mail addresses for different purposes, for example one that you only use for business and one that you use to receive advertising and various offers. It is also important that your e-mail address contains little or no personal information about you.

3. do not forget the cookies

Most websites nowadays collect cookies, i.e. information about your data usage. In order to leave as few traces as possible, you should remember to delete these cookies regularly. If you are one of the majority of people who always forget to do this, there is also a setting that allows you to delete cookies automatically. If a website does not offer any settings for cookies, this is an offence against data protection on the Internet.

4. change search engines

The fact is that all major search engines on the World Wide Web collect data. This is especially true for Google. We cannot avoid this. But to prevent too much of our data from accumulating over time, we should change search engines regularly.

5. better not to send error reports

We’ve all been there: the programme you’re working with crashes and you’re asked to send an error report, as if that would do you any good at the moment. In such a case, many of us ask ourselves whether this actually does any good. And rightly so. Because usually you don’t know exactly what data is being sent. So if you are not sure, it is better to refrain from sending an error report.

6. pay attention to encryption

Always make sure that ‘https’ appears at the beginning of the address line, because then you can be sure that this is a securely encrypted page. This is particularly advisable if you want to do online banking or need to log in somewhere with your personal data.

7. reveal as little as possible about yourself

In real life, we are usually much more cautious when it comes to personal details than online. Caution is definitely advised here too. Use your personal data as sparingly as possible and think carefully about where it is necessary to provide personal details and where not.

8. use different passwords

To achieve adequate protection against hacker attacks, use different passwords. Most of us are now logged into so many different portals, social networks and email accounts that it is not easy to keep track of them all. To make things as easy as possible, many people use one and the same password for all their accounts. However, this is not a good idea. It is very important to use a different password for each account. All passwords should be secure, i.e. contain upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols and should not be personalised. Names or dates of birth are therefore not particularly suitable passwords.

9. be careful with emails from unknown senders

It happens almost every day that you find emails from unknown senders in your email inbox. It is best not to open them in the first place. If you are not sure whether it is an important e-mail and you need to open it, you should never click on any links or open any attachments. Doing so can easily bring malware onto your device. If you have opened the email, you should scan your computer with a virus scanner afterwards.

10. read the small print

This is a tip that should go without saying, but unfortunately so few of us actually apply it. Everyone is probably familiar with this situation: you download some programme or app and are then shown a box with a rather long text in small print. This text is usually called the terms of participation, terms of use or privacy policy. And because you don’t have the time or inclination to read through this text, you simply click on the ‘Agree and continue’ button. Very few people realise afterwards what they have agreed to. You should therefore always at least skim through these guidelines and provisions first and then ask yourself whether you really agree with what you have read.

Conclusion: Protection against hacker attacks

In conclusion, it remains to be said that although the protection of your personal data from hacker attacks on the Internet is not entirely in your own hands, it is to a large extent. So make sure that at least the areas that are within your control are as secure as possible. Protect yourself against hacker attacks and seek advice from professional hackers or IT security officers. If your account has already been hacked, you can find help from hacking experts.