With these measures, you can protect yourself and your data on the Internet
- Install a protection program.
Use up-to-date software against viruses and attack attempts and always keep it up to date. This applies to every device you use to access the Internet. - Take advantage of available updates immediately.
Make sure you always run software updates immediately. This will also close any newly discovered security vulnerabilities. Once a vulnerability is known, it may only take a few hours for someone to try to exploit it. - Use strong passwords.
Assign strong passwords and do not use them more than once. Eight characters is the minimum, and a mix of upper case and lower case letters, numbers and special characters is advisable. - Distrust unknown sources.
Do not open mail attachments from unknown senders. These may contain viruses or other malware. Download apps and programs only from official stores and trusted sites. - Encrypt confidential data.
Only enter passwords and bank details on encrypted websites to prevent unauthorized people from reading them. - Create a backup.
Back up your data such as photos, videos, text files regularly. Most systems allow automatic backups. - Prevent phishing.
Always enter the web addresses of banks and stores directly. Links in e-mails or on web pages could direct you to a fake site. Just visiting the site can be enough to infect yourself with malware - even on a smartphone. - Use multiple e-mail addresses.
For example, use a second e-mail address for newsletters. This way you avoid an overflowing main mailbox and increase your security. Because email addresses are often used as user names for all kinds of services. - Remove legacy applications.
Applications that are no longer updated are a security risk. Delete them from your device. - Be sparing with your data.
In general, consider what information you put online. Whether portrait photos, place of residence or telephone numbers - once stored on the Internet, they are difficult to delete again. Economy is the best protection.
You can find detailed and further tips in our "Digitally secure" guide.
