Remember that all browsers collect data in different forms
Post Date – 12:45 AM, Tue – 1/3/23
An internet search for the best Hyderabadi biryani restaurants near us can lead internet users into a world of social engineering scams.
In the wake of the Covid pandemic, due to increased internet use and interaction, we have become increasingly vulnerable due to (a) insecure networks (b) too many personal and shared devices (c) insecure applications ( d) The virtual meeting life that we visit frequently every day.
Privacy violations happen all the time while browsing, even without the user’s awareness, all browsers collect data in the form of (a) crash reports (b) analytics (c) analytics (d) identification (e) ads (f) location. Our browsing activity is tracked through cookies, and data is shared between websites as a user-friendliness.
It is important to know that we are being tracked all the time online and we should prioritize developing safe browsing habits according to our desired level of privacy. That is, (a) sites like Amazon, eBay, and Netflix collect data about your preferences and advise us on what they think we might like (b) Google and Facebook track and share activity to provide cross-app usage data. https://myactivity.google.com and https://www.facebook.com/off_facebook_activity
safe browser
A secure browser helps block third-party tools such as cookies. They collect all private/personal information and other tracking data. Some safe browsers are Brave, Duck Duck Go, Tor, Mozilla, and Chrome, in that order.
These safe browsers (a) warn you about unsafe sites and downloads (b) allow you to choose which permissions to grant (c) allow you to disable cookies (d) disable pop-ups by default (e) disable redirects by default (f ) allow Your closing script (g) provides you with access to your browsing history and cache.
Search better on Google
* Use quotes: When you put a search parameter in quotes, it tells Google to search for the whole phrase. Your search syntax should be “Digital Wellbeing”.
*Use hyphens to exclude words: For example, if you are searching for Maruti Temple, enter Maruti and by default the browser will display Maruti Car. To avoid this, your search syntax should be Maruti –Temple.
* Using a colon: You are logged into www.endnowfoundation.org and looking for an article on cybersecurity, your search syntax should be, cybersecurity website: endnowfoundaton.org
* Find pages that link to another page: You’re not searching for a specific page, but a page that links to a specific page. Your search syntax should be link:endnowfoundation.org
* Find sites similar to other sites: There is a better way to search for related sites, your search syntax should be, related:endnowfoundation.org
* Use Google Search to do math: This is handy if you need to do some quick math.Your search syntax should be 8*5 9 8 etc
* Find a specific file: If you are searching for cybersafety presentations, the search syntax should be cybersafetyfiletype:pptx
* Currency and Unit Conversion: Check conversion rates between two currencies. Your search syntax should be USD to INR
Tips for Safe Browsing
* Never click on short URLs or fill out Google forms (sent via email, WhatsApp and SMS). Even if it’s sent by a known source, make sure to check if it’s a phishing link https://www.isitphishing.org
* Never send sensitive and personal information via email, no matter who asks for it.
* Always check the authenticity of email headers when someone asks for a money transfer, even if it’s from your boss. https://mxtoolbox.com/EmailHeaders.aspx
* Never search Google for customer service phone numbers. Call the number specified on the respective portal.
* Never scan QR codes or share OTP, UPIN, bank card or CVV numbers. This means that you are transferring money from your account but not receiving it.
* Set up two-factor authentication for all email and social media accounts.
* Update your browser and only visit secure sites starting with https://
* You can use Incognito Mode to shop online for birthday gifts for family members who share your device, so none of your activity appears while others are browsing.
* Divide your browser. That is, use one browser for web browsing only, another for banking, and another for social accounts. Therefore, change your privacy settings to ensure that cookies are turned off and your browser does not store your browsing history.
* Always remember to log out of social media and email accounts when not using them, even your own device.
* Use antivirus and antimalware software for a safe browsing experience.
*Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps protect your data from hackers and social engineering scammers.