privacy is at stake more than ever and, in this sense, all the precautions that are taken at the time of surfing the Net are few. Having a VPN service, especially when the connection is public wi-fi, is a measure elemental that protects the user from intrusions into their connection, but not the anonymity or the potential attack by malware. The application web-browsing is, possibly, the most widely used in computers and over the Internet access. What precautions should be taken and how should I configure the system to protect themselves properly?
The system, always updated
it Seems incredible, but possibly the best safety tool within the reach of all users is all too clear: to keep the system fully updated. The user must “immediately install the latest update of the browser to help mitigate any risk of being a victim of attacks that are hidden,” says Francisco Sancho, Product Manager of McAfee, and in this sense, it is best to “practice good hygiene and sanitation safety by activating the automatic updates. Cybercriminals rely on the software without the patches to exploit vulnerabilities,” warns the expert, so make sure to run always the latest version of the browser and platform is the determining factor.
‘Audit’ of passwords
hackers are taking advantage of the trend to the comfort of human beings, instead of resorting to passwords sophisticated or systems to manage them, you usually have to repeat the same key over and over again. This repetition increases the chances of being the victim of a massive attack, because, if an account has been compromised, the hackers can repeat the same credentials in other services contracted by the user without their knowledge.
How to avoid it? Beyond attempting to more sophisticated passwords and avoid repeating them, you can set up an alert in the browser: Chrome has announced a system that will alert the user when it detects that one of your passwords has been compromised in an attack, or appears in any listing of accounts that have been the victim of an attack. Safari users should refer to this possibility through the preferences, where in the section of passwords, the software, Apple alert you by a start of this circumstance.
Install an extension anti ‘phishing’
The main advantage of browsers is that they have become a platform in and of itself, in place of an application is isolated; proof of this is the ability to install extensions or add-ons that increase the possibilities of this tool. And this is more applicable than ever in matters of security: it is highly recommended to install a plug-in that alerts the user to an attack via phishing, or the potential entry of malware by using the application. The market features a wide variety of add-ons such as TrafficLight from Bitdefender or Avira.
always Check the composition of the URL
cybercriminals are increasingly sophisticated more their attacks, and can send an SMS to the mobile phone of his victim by pretending to be your bank or a courier service, and urging him to open a link that has an appearance identical to that of the supplier that simulates. How do you know if it is real that link or not? The first step should always be a caution and it is better not to open a link in a dubious (to contact in other way, with the firm allegedly sent to verify its authenticity), but a second and not less effective is to check the URL that urge to open. If it does not come originally from the domain of the company that apparently sent the message, it will attempt an attack with safety.
Care of the windows ‘pop up’
while it is true that most of the modern browsers have ended up with the nightmare that was assumed prior open Internet Explorer and find the whole screen full of pop-up windows, there is always the possibility that a page recommending the installation of any plug-in or activation of a notification. Although this pathway is usually well protected by the platforms, the total control is not possible and when in doubt, it is always best to caution and avoid the temptation to install a plugin or activate a notification.
Shield the router
But there is no doubt that the best protection in a browsing session by the Network consists in shielding the connection before it gets to the computer itself. “It is very advisable to change the password which it brings by default and make sure that in the security settings use the option WPA2-PSK with AES encryption,” suggests Fernando Suárez, president of the CCII (General Council of Official Colleges of Engineering in Computer science); this recommendation is especially vital if the router was provided by the operator and is generic.
