Although computers come with their own security software, sometimes they are not enough to ward off bound and determined hackers, scammers and identity thieves from stealing your personal information. This is a fact of life in the digital age. Scary as this may sound, you do not have to give up on the Internet altogether so as not to fall prey against these malicious elements. With the right tools and tweaks in your computer, you can ward off these digital offenders. Here are some simple steps you can do to fortify your PC.
Have a powerful security software in place
The easiest ways for hackers to sneak into your online accounts and eventually take over your computer’s system is through a virus. When your computer gets infected, it is easy for hackers to cause chaos, such as delete your files, steal your personal information, etc. So to defend your PC against viruses, worms, Trojans and other malicious programs, you need to have a powerful software security in place.
There are a lot of premium options such as the Virsec Security Platform that you can purchase for certain costs. However, protection doesn’t have to be expensive. There are numerous security software available online that you can download for free. Some of the best ones include Avast!, AVG AntiVirus, Avira AntiVir Personal, Outpost Firewall, Zone Alarm, SpywareBlaster, Ad-Aware, Spybot Search and Destroy and Malwarbytes just to name a few.
[Read also: How to Scan Your Computer Without an Antivirus]
Set passwords that aren’t easy to break
There are hackers who won’t bother infecting your PC with virus. Some of them simply prefer to use sophisticated programs capable of guessing account passwords. And once they have one of your accounts, they can easily make their way into your other accounts. In such case, the best protection you have is to use not just difficult-to-guess passwords but to assign one different password for every account you have.
The same thing goes with your PC. You will never know when someone is going to break into your home and attempt to access your data. So it pays to password-protect your computer. Always stick with a long password as it is harder to crack. It should be a minimum of 8 characters, with a combination of numbers, symbols and letters.
[Read more: 6 Steps in Making A Safe and Strong Internet Password]
Don’t take security questions lightly
The passwords you use as well as your security software will be rendered useless if the answers to the security questions in your accounts are easy. Hence, pay attention to how you fill up those security questions. Your best bet is to go for random answers or a string of random characters, making them hard to remember. Consider it as though you are adding another password to your account.
Keep your network in check
If you have multiple computers at home and you use a network to connect all of them to the Internet, beware that this single network can be a magnet for hackers. They can simply sneak into your network and relentlessly gather all your information, including the details you transfer from one PC to another. To avoid that from happening, protect your home network. Encrypt it and regularly check your network for unauthorized users, then lock them out. It is also wise to make a unique SSID and a separate Wi-Fi network for guests.
[Read also: Is Hacking an Inside Job?]
Be mindful of your computer activities
All of the aforesaid things will be good-for-nothing if you are not mindful of your computer activities. Keep in mind that hackers always reinvent their methods of attack almost everyday and if you are not vigilant, they can attack right under your nose without you noticing it. So always be careful with the sites you open online. And remember, no amount of passwords, security software and setting changes will replace watchful eyes.
[Recommended read: I’ve Been Hacked! 5 Things to Do]
This post carries some of the effective tips for keeping the unauthorized access at bay. To keep my laptop secure from hacking, I use strong passwords and anti-virus softwares. Thanks for sharing the tips. I will incorporate few more steps in order to preclude hacking.
You’re welcome, Aayna!
My computer has been hacked once by a mischievous group of university students who did it just to experiment their hacking skills. I have added protection to my computer but I really dread it happening to me again. Thanks for sharing the useful tips.
Hope they didn’t do much damage to your computer. They should have put their hacking skills into good use instead!
In this digital age, it has become really important to protect our PCs and accounts from hackers. Everyday new means are being developed to break into a secure area. We need to be extra vigilant and take them seriously. The security questions are ignored by many and they become a weak link for breaking in. You have made a good point of getting creative while answering these security questions. Nice post.
Thanks for commenting, Vicky! Hope to see you around 🙂
nice article peter,
today most of the accounts are being hacked because people think about setting a good and powerful password very lightly..,
here you’ve talked about setting a different password to each account, but in my opinion it is very hard to remember all the password you type.. 😐
There are software designed to manage multiple passwords. Should Google and check them out. Thanks for commenting, Rohit!
yes i do agree with you..choosing different password is must because it is more secure and we have software and extension for storing different passwords
Hey Peter,
Thanks for sharing these important tips of keeping hackers away from accessing our computers. We have to update our antivirus regularly for protecting the computers and Yes, we have to choose different password.
Thanks for the worthy post. To protect my system from hackers i will always prefer to use a decent antivirus will regular update also i usually apply strong passwords at login
Great way to prevent hackers & be more secure in computing. Every people get advised from his own mistake but in this virtual world prevent is better than cue.