Ensure Internet Safety
You might be surprised to know that in Bangladesh, the number of Internet users now exceeds seven crore, more than the population officially recorded by the government. While the Internet has undoubtedly made our lives easier, it also comes with various risks. Due to ignorance about the dangers of Internet usage, many people nowadays face various problems. Indeed, personal information is more valuable today than ever before. The theft of personal information played a significant role in Donald Trump’s victory in the American Parliament election. Consider how valuable your personal information really is!
On that note, various software and apps are constantly being developed and spread, through which information theft is carried out sometimes directly, sometimes through cunning means, and sometimes via coercion. And almost every Internet-based institution is involved in these actions. Recently, one of the top ride-sharing platforms in the country, Pathao, has been accused of collecting and storing users’ sensitive information. This has also raised concerns about national security. Unfortunately, many ordinary people in the country are only fascinated by the features of the Internet, without making any effort to understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
When installing any app, descriptions of how your personal information will be used are provided in the privacy policy. It is only advisable to disclose personal information there and use the app. However, most users do not read this lengthy policy and give consent without reading it. As a result, Internet-based institutions can easily collect and store your highly valuable personal information. Everyone should be cautious about these small matters. Although it’s possible to give some leeway to trustworthy developers, when using apps from unfamiliar developers, it’s crucial to pay attention to these small details. Regardless, being aware of Internet security is sufficient for protection. Let’s learn more about these awareness factors today.
Exercise Caution in Choosing a Browser
Since web browsers are predominantly used to access Internet-based information and services, ensuring the security of web browsers and using them safely is essential. However, the web browser provided with the computer’s operating system or the one we install usually does not ensure security. While Google Chrome or Internet Explorer browsers are popular, there are many other browsing software available. Although they may seem attractive, in most cases, these web browsers capture all your information. Therefore, be cautious when choosing a browser.
Be Cautious in Using Free Play Store Apps
Many people download free apps from the Play Store. Ninety percent of these types of apps share users’ information with Google without their consent. Although Google completely denies this, news of such information sharing is spreading. Some apps even share information with Facebook, about 43 percent of them. Some apps share users’ confidential information with reputable companies like Twitter, Amazon, and Microsoft. Incidents of information theft and sharing are not new. Similar incidents have occurred before. Nevertheless, the issue is gaining momentum in the news media. Consequently, users are concerned about how secure their information is. Therefore, exercise caution before downloading free apps from the Play Store.
Exercise Caution in Using Public Wi-Fi
Exercise caution when using public Wi-Fi connections. Many of us immediately connect our smartphones as soon as we find public Wi-Fi. Change this habit immediately. Otherwise, you may fall victim to hacking or malware from such public Wi-Fi. Many cybercriminals hack or distribute viruses through free connections. So it’s not advisable to connect your phone to any unknown Wi-Fi.
Exercise Caution in Using Third-Party Facebook Apps
Every day, new apps are published on Facebook with names like ‘How would you look if you were a girl?’ or ‘How will you look after 50 years?’ Many of us enter these apps for fun, even though the apps are not reliable. Instead of just entering, we also share them with everyone on our friends list. Many people on our friends list also enter these apps for fun. The sole purpose of creating these apps is to steal users’ information. Thus, these apps claim that the more information you provide, the more accurate the prediction will be. In anticipation of this, we keep trying to provide more information. The more information we provide, the more valuable our personal information becomes to these apps. Therefore, exercise caution when accessing Facebook apps.
Hacking Social Media Accounts
We share a huge amount of information on social media platforms like Facebook. However, we do not realize that many are constantly trying to steal our personal information. Therefore, account hacking incidents frequently occur. You may wonder what use such stolen information will have.
Cybersecurity experts say that hacked information from Facebook is very valuable. If someone manages to hack Facebook and take information, they can make money by selling it on the dark web. Through various software, information stolen from these accounts is sold on the dark web. It is used to show advertisements to various companies or at the national level.
The fate of a company called Money Guru in the United States, for example, found a lot of information on the dark web after hacking incidents. Various companies use this information to show advertisements.