Protecting yourself on the cyberspace

We all need to avoid some things in order to protect ourselves online, then physical control is as essential as logical access control. According to a popular Yoruba adage which reads as follow “the weevil eating up a pumpkin, lives with the pumpkin “. People closest to you can also bridge your privacy, you can also check the word “espionage “ up in your dictionary . Most DOS(denial of service attacks), ransomeware attacks and other privacy infringement activities are carried out by inside men. So keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
So take these simple steps to protect your valuable personal information.

1. Don’t fill out your social media profile.
   The more information you share online, the easier it’s going to be for someone to get their hands on it. Don’t cooperate.
   Take a look at your social media profiles and keep them barren—the people who need to know your birth date, email address and phone number already have them. And what exactly is the point of sharing everything about yourself in your Facebook profile? If you care about your privacy, you won’t do it.

1. Be choosy about sharing your bank verification number—even the last 4 digits.
   Think twice about sharing your bank verification number with anyone, unless it’s your bank, a credit bureau, a company that wants to do a background check on you or some other entity that has to report to the IRS. If someone gets their hands on it and has information such your birth date and address they can steal your identity and take out debit cards and pile up other debt in your name.
   Even the last four digits of your bank verification number should only be used when necessary. The last four are often used by banks an other institutions to reset your password for access your account.

1. Lock down your hardware.
   Physical control is as good as logical security control.
   Set up your PC to require a password when it wakes from sleep or boots up. Sure, you may trust the people who live in your house, but what if your laptop is stolen or you lose it?
   Same thing with your mobile devices. Not only should you use a passcode to access them every time you use them, install an app that will locate your phone or tablet if it’s lost or stolen, as well as lock it or wipe it clean of any data so a stranger can’t get access to the treasure trove of data saved on it.

     And, make sure your computers and mobile devices are loaded with anti-malware apps and software. They can prevent prevent criminals from stealing your data. We recommend Norton Internet Security ($49.99 on norton.com or $17.99 on Amazon) in our computer security buying guide or stepping up to Norton 360 Multi-Device ($59.99 on norton.com or $49.99 on Amazon) if you have mobile devices. And, you’ll want to double up your protection on Android devices by installing , since we found anti-malware apps are dismal at detecting spyware.
   

2. Turn on private browsing.
   If you don’t want anyone with physical access to your computer to see where you’re hanging out online you should enable “private browsing,” a setting available in each major web browser. It deletes cookies, temporary Internet files and browsing history after you close the window.
   Every company that advertises online is interested in knowing what sites you visit, what you buy, who you’re friends with on social networks, what you like and more. By gathering information about your online activities they can serve you targeted ads that are more likely to entice you to buy something.

     For instance, the Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ buttons you see on just about every site allow those networks to track you even if you don’t have an account or are logged into them. Other times information collection companies rely on embedded code in banner ads that track your visits, preferences, and demographic information.
   
     If you truly care about your privacy you’ll surf the Internet anonymously by hiding your IP address. You can do this using a web proxy, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Tor, a free open network that works by routing your traffic through a series of servers, operated by volunteers around the world, before sending it to your destination.
   

3. Use a password vault that generates and remembers strong and unique passwords.
   Most people know better than to use the same password for more than one website or application. In reality, it can be impossible to remember a different one for the dozens of online services you use. The problem with using the same password in more than one place is if someone gets their hands on your password—say, through a phishing attack—they can access all your accounts and cause all sorts of trouble.
   To eliminate this dilemma, use a password manager that will not only remember all your passwords, but will generate super strong and unique ones and automatically fill them into login fields with the click of a button.
   LastPass is an excellent and free choice.

1. Use two-factor authentication.
   You can lock down your Facebook, Google, Dropbox, Apple ID, Microsoft, Twitter and other accounts with two-factor authentication. That means that when you log in, you’ll also need to enter a special code that the site texts to your phone. Some services require it each time you log in, other just when you’re using a new device or web browser. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a great overview of what’s available.
   Two-factor authentication works beautifully for keeping others from accessing your accounts, although some people feel it’s too time consuming. But if you’re serious about privacy, you’ll put up with the friction.

1. Set up a Google alert for your name.
   This is a simple way to keep an eye on anything someone might be saying about you on the web. It’s just a matter of telling Google what to look for (in this case, your name), as well as what kinds of web pages to search, how often to search and what email address the search engine giant should use to send you notifications. Set up a Google alert here.

1. Pay for things with cash.
   According to Business Insider, credit card companies are selling your purchase data to advertisers. Don’t want companies knowing how much booze you’re buying or other potentially embarrassing habits? Buy things the old fashioned way—with coins and bills.

1. Keep your social network activity private.
   Check your Facebook settings and make sure only friends can see what you’re doing. Go to the settings cog in the upper right hand corner of your screen, then click on Privacy Settings >> Who can see my stuff.

    On Twitter, click on the settings cog, then Settings. From there you can adjust all sorts of privacy settings, such as a box that gives Twitter permission to add your location to tweets as well as the ability to make your tweets private, meaning only people you approve can see them. You can also stop the microblogging platform from tailoring your Twitter experience based on other sites you visit.
   
   If you use Google+, go to Home >> Settings. There you can adjust things like who can interact with you, comment on your posts or start a conversation with you.
   

2. Don’t give our your zip code when making credit card purchases.
   Often stores will ask for your zip code when you’re checking out with a credit card. Don’t give it to them unless you want to donate your details to their marketing database, warns Forbes. By matching your name, taken from your credit card, with your zip code, companies can more easily mine more information, including your address, phone number and email. address.

1. Lie when setting up password security questions.
   “What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “In what city were you born?” are common questions websites often ask you to answer so as to supposedly keep your account safe from intruders. In reality, there’s nothing secure about such generic queries. That’s because someone who wants access to your account could easily do some Internet research to dig up the answers.
   Not sure you can remember your lies? You can create “accounts” in your password manager just for this purpose.

1. Make sure the web pages you visit are secured
   Always check your URL, make sure it has an SSL certificate, i.e. it has to have an ’s’ included in the Http, for instance when visiting facebook, make sure you look out for the security, it must be in this format https://www.facebook.com

1. Look out for spams.
   Always look out for spam emails, make sure the email address is genuine, and you can do this by copying the email domain to a search engine, that way you will be able to know the authenticity

Do you know any other good privacy tips? Let us know, comment below....