We have all gotten used to inter-connectivity that it’s difficult to picture a life without this technology. That said, the reliance on the internet has come with its fair share of pitfalls. Cybersecurity is now a pressing issue that consumers and device manufacturers have a shared responsibility on. Here are some ways that YOU can take better care of your devices, followed by examples of the efforts tech companies are making to protect their users from the dangers on the internet.
Security Measures to take to Ensure Safe Internet Use
Use of Anti-Virus
Updated antivirus software offers protection from malware and other viruses. Hackers use ransomware and viruses to steal user’s information and data whenever they are on the internet.
Keeping Your Device Software Updated
Devices that run on operating systems should be updated as often as possible. Criminals know how to exploit the loopholes of an old operating system; an update is a new version from your device maker which in most cases seeks to seal the flaws of the previous version.
Secure Your Network with A VPN
The best way to protect data is by encrypting it. The same goes for fluid, traveling internet data. A virtual private Network gets this done. Encryption is a process that converts your data into a secret code making it unreadable by unauthorized users. Installing a VPN ensures that all the data you send or receive is secured until it reaches the desired destination. As such, criminals cannot steal your data and even if they do, they will not be able to make anything much from it.
Use Stronger Passwords and Manage Your Social Profiles
Lock your private information by using complex passwords; easy for you to remember but hard for other people to guess. Good passwords have a combination of letters, numbers and special symbols. When using social networks, keep your data as private as possible. Some criminals can collect just a few points from these sites and use them to track you down.
Device Maker’s Efforts to Keep Their Consumers Protected
According to research over 70% of device users would not mind paying an extra cost if the device makers incorporated an inbuilt security feature in the devices. To meet the customer’s wants and demands, device makers are adopting different techniques in a bid to try and improve the security of their devices.
In its bid to protect its consumers, Blackberry has since moved to license a software framework. This framework is aimed at enabling device makers to develop secure and smart devices from the word go. Once complete, the security measures are tested by a team of experts from the company which is in charge of certification.
Leading medical device makers Philips NV and Boston Scientific have also started incorporating safety features in their products. In this new move, the companies are now disclosing all the third-party software that is used in their gadgets.
The partnership of ExpressVPN and HP is the latest move by a device making company to protect its consumers. HP has announced that it will now work with ExpressVPN to offer digital safety to their consumers. Moving on, the HP Spectre x360 13 which is the company’s latest release will come with a pre-installed ExpressVPN. The customers will be able to access all ExpressVPN apps during a 30-day trial period.
ExpressVPN; the privacy company has stated its commitment to helping consumers stay protected whenever they are navigating the internet. The company alluded to the possibility of working with other leading tech brands in the future.