There
are many various steps that one can take when it comes to increasing the
privacy on your laptops, phones or any devices that one uses to connect to the
Internet. However, after doing some research, I have cross
referenced all the data that I found online and came up with the six most
effective steps. There was much information available online in how to increase
your privacy but these are the simpler and recurring ones but they serve as
well as the more complicated ones. These steps are taken to shield yourself against
potential hackers and identity thieves and in some way, the government.
1) Hide in the network.
Implement hidden services such as Tor.
Tor is a free software that is available online for enabling online anonymity. What the program Tor does it that it directs Internet traffic
through a free, worldwide, volunteer network consisting of more than three
thousand relays to conceal a
user's location or usage from anyone conducting network surveillance or traffic
analysis. Using Tor makes it more difficult to trace your Internet activity,
including "visits to Web sites, online posts, instant messages, and other
communication forms", back to the user. Anyone can use
this to conceal their identity and Internet activity from most surveillance and
traffic analysis. This can also be used to protect users against the amazingly
brazen efforts by commercial companies to track the customers’ online
behaviour.
Another option for becoming anonymous online
is logging on through a personal virtual network. Software programs such as proXPN VPN and HMA! Pro VPN creates
a secure, encrypted Internet connection and masked IP address for a home
computer, laptop or any other devices. The software can act as an extra layer
of protection if one is going online over a public Wifi network at a coffee
shop or airport, which might not be password protected.
2)
Encryption
Popular
email programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Gmail already have built-in
encryption. So do websites that use Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
which is the latest communications security protocol. One can tell whether a
website has HTTPS protection by looking at the site's URL in the browser's
address bar. If the URL starts with "https" instead of
"http" it has an extra protection, called secure socket layer (SSL),
built in. Sites with HTTPS encrypt personal data and other sensitive
information that users may share on the site. What the Transport Layer Security (TLS)
and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is, is that they are cryptographic protocols that are designed to provide communication security over the Internet. They use X.509 certificates and hence asymmetric cryptography to assure
the counterparty whom they are
talking with, and to exchange a symmetric key. This session key is then used to encrypt data flowing
between the parties. Another method to go to the Electronic
Frontier Foundation website to
download extensions for Chrome and Firefox that add HTTPS protection to the browser
regardless of the sites that one visits.
3) Shield your IP address.
After
encrypting all the important data, the next step is to shield your IP address.
The most effective way to do so is to download software programs such as
AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield or Easy-Hide-IP that mask
any device's IP address. Both programs have been proven to render all the
devices undetectable by the NSA, hackers, police, Internet service providers,
or anyone else bascially.
4)
Shop online with a virtual or
single-use credit card number.
Online
or virtual shopping is the ‘in’ thing these days. Everyone is buying everything
off the Internet because it is so much more convenient. The only downside is
that one had to wait a few days for the delivery to arrive. It saves one the
trouble, effort, time and cost of travelling to buy something that they can get
off the web. This is the reason why the Bank of America's ShopSafe and
Citibank's Virtual Account Numbers programs
came about. These programs are created to shield customers' account information
by generating a virtual credit card or single-use credit card number for online
purchases. The virtual cards may be good for a single purchase or pre-set
period of time. This prevents hackers and scammers from getting one’s credit
card information.
5)
Keep anti-virus updated.
Everyone hates what the updating of
the anti-virus does to their computers, but if one does not have anti-virus,
anti-spyware and anti-phishing software on the devices they use to connect to
the Internet, chances of them getting hacked are a lot higher.
6)
Monitor
your stuff
What one can do is routinely monitor
their bank statements, credit card bills and other accounts so if hackers or
identity thieves have used your information. When you can spot it, take the
necessary steps to correct it. Credit card companies also do monitor customer
accounts for potentially fraudulent activity. But ultimately, it is up to
oneself to pay attention to your own accounts.
And there you have it, 6 easy steps to shield yourself on the Internet. Hope it helps!
Till next time.
