There’s no doubt about the fact that we are currently living through a technological revolution; over half of the world’s population now have regular access to the internet and everything from shopping to communication to entertainment is easily available online. With this proliferation of online services comes a responsibility to maintain adequate security around the millions of transactions being made over the internet on a daily basis. This is partly down to the consumer’s judgement and common sense, but service providers also have an obligation to make sure that their product is safely accessible.
Whether you are a business concerned about the security of transactions conducted through your site, or you’re reading this as a regular online customer, here we’ve put together some of the most common and most effective online security measures regularly in use around the world today. Some of these may already be a part of your everyday internet use, but others could be food for thought when looking towards future developments in the online realm.
Trusted review sites
When searching for a new service provider, it’s always a good idea to check out their reviews first. This applies to shopping sites and money management apps, just as it does to entertainment platforms like streaming services and online casinos. Consumer review websites like Trustpilot and Tripadvisor are great for getting the general overview of a place or a vendor, but independently assessed reviews can prove much more valuable from a security perspective. Well-established sites like VegasSlotsOnline conduct exhaustive background checks and employ rigorous testing when they review an online casino, for example. They make sure to only recommend trusted platforms which both have a great reputation and stand up to their own exacting review process, meaning that prospective customers can rest easy in the knowledge that each recommended platform has been thoroughly investigated. Important aspects like software functionality, promotions and offers, and payment methods all go in to their final review, providing a holistic analysis for the customer.
Passwords and 2FA
Passwords have been around in one form or another since the dawn of humanity, but when used in the online world they take on a new significance and can pose a real security threat. Of course, one option with which to combat weak passwords is to make sure that you keep your log in details private and secure rather than sharing them around, and avoid using phrases so obvious that anyone could guess them. Another option is to use a secure password manager. Top choices like Dashlane, NordPass and Roboform enable users to store all of their passwords in one secure virtual ‘lockbox’ so that they don’t have to either remember them or write them down anywhere. Some of the best password managers even monitor the internet to make sure that nobody has gained access to their customers’ existing passwords or private information. Many of these products offer two-factor authentication as a standard option and it is highly advised that people make use of it. 2FA puts multiple steps between the user and the service they hope to access; for example, after entering a username and password, you may also have to input a one-time security code texted to your linked phone or even submit to a fingerprint scan.
VPNs
When surfing the internet, a user is constantly being assailed by intrusive data trackers like cookies that want to map their usage habits in order to better advertise to them effectively. One piece of information that websites and online services are particularly interested in is where in the world their users are geographically. Using a VPN (virtual private network) allows users to maintain a greater degree of privacy and anonymity as they go about their online business. VPNs create a secure connection which shields a user’s browsing activity from interested parties and allows them to move freely through online space without being tracked, watched or denied access to things due to their location. It also allows secure access to a remote business network or cloud storage without the fear of a security leak. Whereas VPNs were originally mostly used by business networks in order to interact safely and remotely, they are now a service recommended for all internet users, including private ones.
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