Online Safety Myths Busted

More often than not, you hear about the dangers lurking in the dark corners of the web and how to avoid it. So you suit up, install and anti-virus, stay away from pop-ups and malicious websites. Although these are good measures, they are not fool proof. Here are some online safety myths and security pitfalls to watch out for.

Having an anti-virus keeps me safe. It may not entirely be a myth since anti-virus software does give some level of protection. However, there are important things to note like keeping the software updated, for example. The world is full of unscrupulous geniuses, thus new viruses are created everyday that your anti-virus may not recognize as malicious. Not to mention having your system susceptible to other forms of attacks such as phishing, online scams and hackers. For more information to ensure you are 100% protected, contact online tech support for your safety options.

I don’t go to porn sites so I’m safe. Totally wrong! Most people think that if they stick to legit and wholesome sites, they are safe. In reality, viruses can be found anywhere and cyber criminals are getting smarter by targeting sites that people trust. One good example is the Acai Berry Worm that attacked Gawker Media sites and Twitter. Viruses can also make their way through emails, pop-ups and removable disks used in public computers.

My bank/credit card company will take care of me. Yes they will but only if you are able to get proof that you were a victim of cyber fraud. Banks rarely reimburse just because you said that you were not the one who bought 100 copies of the Twilight Saga.  You and your bank will have to spend countless hours of sifting through your credit history and personal information to sort things out. Throngs of people have been victimized by identity theft and only a few have managed to sort it out unscathed. Your best protection is awareness and practicing safe online shopping.

The Internet Police will have my back. What internet police? There is no such thing. Sure there are organizations that help screen chat rooms from pervs but they can not cover for everyone. The internet is a free for all world and believing that there is a governing body to stop cyber criminals from attacking your computer can be an expensive, sometimes even dangerous mistake. Of course, real world law enforcement can help you catch whoever stole your identity, but only after the fact. Find out more about criminal activities online by browsing through our online safety articles.

Mac and Linux based systems are free from attack. Close but no cigar! It is true that Linux and Mac computers get lesser number of attacks but they are not 100% safe.  This is simply due to the fact that the number of Windows based computers far outnumber those of Linux and Mac based computers.  This makes targeting Windows based computer much more profitable for cyber thieves. Viruses, malware, hackers and online scammers can attack you regardless of what computer system you use. The key is always making sure that you run security updates regularly and Microsoft does that just as well as Apple.

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