When the World Wide Web first came to life in the 1990s, it opened link new possibilities however, it also brought a new range of threats. Spam affected email accounts, computer viruses caused havoc on the networks of companies and hacking became a problem. Hackers could steal your personal data or even take over your online or credit card account, and sell it on the dark web.

Today, your online existence is more complicated than ever. You’re using your smartphone to shop online, make purchases online, access Facebook and even your IoT devices and other internet-connected devices track and report on your activities. Hackers have access to all of this information, whether they’re an element of a criminal organization or a random person with a political agenda.

To guard against hackers create strong passwords for each of your online accounts. Also, use a secure password manager to keep the track of your passwords. Consider using two-step authentication. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code that is sent to your email or phone address along with your password when you sign in. Encrypt your hard drive to make it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your private information even if they gain control over your device or computer. Also, make sure to disable « run as administrator » on your computer, don’t jailbreak or root your phones and close down your computer instead of leaving it running all day long (all-time running will impede your device’s performance and opens the door for cyberattacks). With the right software tools for malware-screening deinstalling, data encryption you can lower the risk of being a victim.