Enhancing Your Online Safety

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  If someone claims to have your IP address, do not be alarmed. The process of tracing an IP address back to a specific home network is typically time-consuming and nearly impossible. Public IP addresses are meant to be accessible to the public, hence the name.

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  Be cautious when opening or executing zip, PDF, or Office files. Attackers frequently embed malicious macros and malware in these files. Before executing any unauthorized software or source code, carefully review the source code line by line. They could contain hidden backdoors.

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  You can protect yourself from common cyber attacks by being careful about what files you download, not clicking on links in emails or social media messages unless you are sure of the sender
  
  It is important to remember that 95% of cybersecurity incidents occur due to human error. By being aware of the risks and taking steps to protect yourself, you can help keep your personal information and devices safe.

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  Check if your email address or password has been compromised in a data breach using the website "haveibeenpwned.com". If it has, it is important to change your password for that email address and any other accounts that use the same password. This will help to protect yourself from credential stuffing attacks, where attackers use stolen passwords to try to log in to other accounts.

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  If you suspect that your device has been infected with a rootkit or malware, the most effective way to remove it is to perform a clean reinstall of your operating system. This will remove all traces of the malware, including any backdoors or reverse shells that may have been created.
  
  In addition to reinstalling your operating system, you should also check for outbound connections from your device. This can be done using a network security tool or by reviewing your firewall logs. Any outbound connections that you do not recognize should be investigated further.

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  When installing an app, it is important to be selective about the permissions that you grant. Only grant permissions that are essential for the app to function. For example, a weather app does not need access to your contacts or photos.
  
  If you are not using an app for an extended period of time, uninstall it. This will prevent the app from running in the background and collecting data from your device.
  
  It is also important to keep your software and operating system up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect your device from malware and other threats.

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  Make sure you turn on 2FA for every site or app you use. This extra security step really helps stop others from taking over your accounts. Avoid saving passwords in your browser and try to use different strong passwords for each place you log in. To keep track of them, password managers are really helpful. Following these steps shows that you're serious about keeping your online accounts safe.

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  Be mindful of the personal information you share online. Attackers can use this information to guess your passwords or trick you into giving them more information. For example, they might know your hometown or pet's name and use that to create a convincing phishing email. It is best to have a separate online identity for activities where you do not want to share your real-world information.

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  Do not use cracked digital products. It is important to remember that if you do not pay for a product, you are the product. The creators of cracked products are often not interested in providing you with a good product or service. They are only interested in making money off of you.

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  Do not use public Wi-Fi without a VPN. Public Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured, which means that anyone who is connected to the same network can see your traffic. This includes your passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information. A VPN encrypts your traffic, making it impossible for anyone to see what you are doing.

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  Keep your microphone and webcam disconnected physically if possible. When not in use, disconnect your microphone and webcam from your computer. This will help to prevent them from being used by malware or other malicious software to spy on you.
  
  Never connect a USB device to your computer without first validating it. USB devices can be used to deliver malware or other malicious software to your computer. Before connecting a USB device, make sure that you know where it came from and that it is from a trusted source.
  
  Monitor your system for unusual high resource usage. If you notice that your computer is using more resources than usual, it could be a sign that malware or other malicious software is running on your system. There are many different ways to monitor your system resources, such as using the Task Manager or a dedicated monitoring tool.

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  If you suspect that a file, link, or domain is malicious, you can scan it using "VirusTotal". VirusTotal is a website that aggregates the results of scans from multiple antivirus engines. This allows you to get a more comprehensive view of the potential risks associated with a file or domain.
  
  It is important to note that VirusTotal is not infallible. Attackers are constantly developing new methods to bypass antivirus detection. However, VirusTotal is still a valuable tool for identifying malicious files and domains.

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  If you are thinking "I don't need to take these precautions. Why would anyone hack me?", then you are the perfect target for cyber attacks. Attackers can use your device to mine cryptocurrency, launch a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, or steal your identity. If they are successful, you could be held liable for their actions.

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  While no device is 100% secure from cyber attacks, being aware of the risks and taking precautions can mitigate most of the threats. Our goal is not to make our devices impenetrable to attackers, but to make it difficult for them to gain access. By following these steps, you can help to prevent up to 90% of personalized cyber attacks.