Last Updated on April 27, 2023 by Larious

Introduction

In the last few years, we were witnesses to numerous security breaches reported by large online entities like Yahoo and Gmail. The fact that international conglomerates suffer under the foot of a small group of hackers raises even more concern regarding the online security of common internet users. Throughout college, students get in touch with tons of material, research papers, and all sorts of documentation basically. In order to learn how to protect your computer, we created a list of tips for you and LLC services.

Security updates

Developers constantly work on finding the weak spots within the code and improving the OS structure by introducing security updates.

You can control which type of updates you wish to receive, as well as the manner in which the updates are going to be installed. It’s highly recommended to protect your computer by allowing the system to automatically search and install all available updates in order to keep your college data protected.

Firewall

Imagine if anyone could gain access to your college files and tamper with your graduation speech. You’d face a serious problem and the only salvation would be finding an online service capable of writing a speech within your timeframe. This is just one of the reasons why you should always keep your OS Firewall ON and updated.

Antivirus software

Software solutions like AVG, Kaspersky, and many others can set an additional Firewall, as well as perform live scans in the background while you use your computer to finish homework or write an essay.

In addition, premium antivirus software keeps your browser activities protected, as well as your emails. One can hear numerous cybersecurity tips for students, and more often than not, these pieces of advice claim that modern OS solutions don’t really need the help of antivirus software, which is folly.

VPN

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) allow you to create a secure network environment within a public network. For college students, this means uninterrupted access to servers that don’t allow interaction with certain IP addresses. A VPN masks your original IP address provides you with a dummy address (in most cases you can choose the “new location” of your machine) and encrypts your data while it’s in transit for added security.

Strong Passwords

It’s always a good practice to generate a password that you can remember easily. However, the simpler password you use, the easier it is to breach into your system. The best practice is to create a complex password with a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols. This way, brute force hacking software will take a ridiculous amount of time to break into your PC.

Two-Factor Authentication

A lot of college collaboration projects are stored on a cloud server that allows simultaneous access to multiple users. Using only your password and logging in from public venues could lead to leaving your info laying around for anyone to use. With a two-factor authentication procedure, every time there is an attempt to log into your account a confirmation code will be sent to your mobile device, restricting unauthorized access.

Backup important files

Conduct regular backups of your files, for safety purposes. In case the system crashes or any unexpected event threatens the integrity of your college material, you can always retrieve your files if you back up your hard drive content on a regular basis. In addition, keep the backup data carrier offline for safety.

Be suspicious at unexpected emails

Keep an eye on the email address, as well as on the style and tone of the content within the email body, as the internet is full of scammers looking for a way to harvest your personal info, passwords, and bank account data. Never provide any confidential information via email; your bank, ISP, PayPal, or any other service will never ask for any private data.

Use public computers wisely

When you are in a public venue like an internet café, pay extra caution to how you log in, and if the browser is set to automatically remember login information. Moreover, avoid plugging in flash drives into public computers, as you might let malware in that could corrupt the content on the drive and later on migrate to your own PC, creating even more damage to your entire system.

Be careful when providing personal information

We all have those people we could trust with anything, even personal data like login info for laptop, social media accounts, or even bank account data. However, in case you are not sure that the person on the other side is a close friend or a relative we trust you should keep all information to yourself.

Conclusion

College is a stressful time, students are under constant pressure and almost always low on time due to numerous obligations. One minor slip-up could be the reason behind the loss of years of collecting and organizing all sorts of academic materials. Always keep in mind that cybersecurity is a global issue and should not be disregarded at any time.

Bio:

 Michael Turner is a freelance content writer engaged with numerous online publishers. Dedicated to creating tech articles aimed at students and anyone else who is interested in technology, writing, and college life improvement. Michael also shares his ideas and thoughts through social media, where followers enjoy regular informative and amusing posts.

Source of info:

https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-reasons-running-latest-windows-security-patches-updates/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network

Image sources:

Img1: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-typing-on-computer-keyboard-735911/

Img2: https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-friends-hanging-out-933964/