When the World Wide Web first came to life in the early 1990s it opened up new possibilities but also a new set of threats. Spam infiltrated emails and computer viruses wreaked destruction to corporate networks, and hacking was a huge issue. Hackers are able to steal your personal data and even take vpnsecure chrome extension control of your credit or online banking account, and then sell it on the dark web.

Your online experience is more complicated than ever before. You’re on a smartphone, you shop online and bank online, you’re using Facebook, and even your home appliances that are connected to the internet and IoT devices are tracking and monitoring your activities. All of this information is available to hackers, whether they’re part of a criminal organization or a lone person with a political agenda.

To protect yourself from hackers, create strong passwords on each of your online accounts. You should also utilize a password manager with security to keep track of them. Consider activating two-step authentication. This adds an extra layer of security by making you enter a code that has been sent to your phone or email address along with your password when logging in. Encrypt your hard drive so that hackers can’t access your data, even if you are able to gain control over your mobile device or computer. Don’t jailbreak or root your phone, and don’t let your computer running all day. This will ruin the performance of your device and expose your device to cyberattacks. With the right software tools for malware screening removal, uninstalling, and encryption of data, you can reduce your risk.