If in 2015, 61% of children between the ages of 3-18 had access to the internet, you can imagine how much that number has increased since then. Mark you, these are kindergarten, primary and high school kids who don’t need the internet as much as college students do.
University students need access to the internet to conduct research for their assignments. Using your laptop or your mobile device to access the internet via an unsecured network exposes your data and makes you vulnerable to cyberattack.
Every student should take the necessary measures to protect their data. Due to advancements in technology, hackers have developed advanced hacking techniques. When seeking essay help, ensure you work with well-reputed service providers like paperwritingpros.com.When you know how to protect your data, you can use your laptop anywhere within the campus with worrying about identity theft.
1. Be Careful with what you Downloads
Downloads are one of the main ways that students get exposed to malware over the internet. You need to be careful with what you download, especially when it comes to free software. You might be downloading malicious codes put in place by cybercriminals to access your personal data. If you’re unsure about the safety of a given software, do not download it.
To prevent cybercriminals from having access to your information, update all programs running on your computer. Using an outdated program gives hackers easy access to your data. Most OS providers release new updates every six months to ensure your programs are bulletproof.
Take advantage of the security patches to protect your data. With the latest security features, hackers have no way of stealing your data.
2. Use the cloud
Use the cloud to store your sensitive data, so hackers have no way of getting to it. Even while using the cloud, be very cautious because hackers are all over. There are many reliable cloud backup solutions you can bank on.
When all your information is on the cloud, cybercriminals find no data to use if they succeed to hack you. Offsite storage also ensures you can access your data from any devices, all long as you have a strong internet connection.
Avoid using external hard drives as a storage solution. Many of these hardware storage solutions have been reformatted with compromised firmware. Using your hard drive to send important data can easily give hackers access to your information.
3. Always Lock your Laptop
You never know if someone is a hacker because it’s not written on their forehead. When you’re using your laptop in the library or in a public study area, keep it locked each time it’s unattended. This way, no one can go through your information while you’re away. This also means that you should use a password that’s not easy to guess. This might not protect you from external attacks, but at least you don’t give people around easy access to your data.
4. Install Anti-Malware Protection
Lastly, ensure your computer has anti-malware protection. This is because you’re always going to encounter malware. Anti-malware software ensures that your laptop detects malware before it does any damage.
Since malicious software usually damages your laptop without your knowledge, installing anti-malware keeps you in the know. Every student should invest in anti-virus protection that protects the computer from worms, Trojan horses, viruses, and spyware.
Conclusion
Data protection is essential for all students because they’re bound to use the internet. You need to take all security measures to ensure your computer is not vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Before you download anything off the internet, be sure it’s not a virus or malicious software. This way, you can use the internet without worrying about identity theft.