In this age of technology and communication convergence, the Internet is a host of endless information that can be accessed across the world in minutes. But with the immense benefits it has its own risks that must be taken into consideration. Realizing all of these risks can actually help neutralizing them. The thing with security, whether online or elsewhere, is that there should always be a balance between security and convenience. Here is a brief guide on internet security and how to improve it.

Viruses, malware and spyware

The first thing is to understand the types of threats that you may encounter on the Internet. You can find different types of threats and each has its own level of risk that requires special solutions. The higher level of the threat, the more complex method of cyber security should be used.

From simple malicious codes, known as malware and spyware to dangerous viruses that can delete your information and hackers who can easily access your computer, these are the risks you need to address. Even website owners should know about website security methods to protect themselves and their clients.

Why do you need a firewall?

You first step is installing a firewall. In short, this is special software designed to filter unwanted Internet traffic. This can be incoming or outgoing data generated by applications, the browser, instant messaging programs, or it can occur when you send an e-mail. A properly configured firewall will not allow suspicious programs such as keyloggers and spyware to get access to your computer. If will detect and block these threats in time, block all incoming connections in the case of a remote attacker attempts to connect directly to your computer. It is essential that your internet security software includes a solid firewall.

Emails as security threats

Attachments can be serious internet security threats. It is easy to fake the sender so that the email seems like it was sent by a familiar person. If the e-mail client automatically opens all your e-mails, then its better you disable this feature. It is easy to hide the true destination of a link that is sent in an e-mail using just HTML. Thus all phishing works.

As usual, computers have been infected online due to careless actions such as installing applications from unknown sources, opening suspect emails or visiting sites designed for one purpose – to infect the visitor’s PC. To avoid this, you must have good anti-virus software on your computer and run virus checks regularly.