Protecting Data: How To Safely Surf
© Jamie Grill / Getty ImagesSuddenly the police stand in the bedroom at night: From the computer of the management consultant Juliane (Caroline Peters) apartments were rented for terrorists and further actions for Islamist networks organized. The TV film "Im Netz" showed the consequences of Internet identity theft in the extreme case. The number of "cybercrime" crimes in Germany rose sharply last year: There are 81 percent more malicious programs in circulation than in the previous year, every two minutes an online identity is stolen. That sounds threatening. Who is at risk? And how can you protect yourself as a user?
"Basically, anyone who is on the Internet is at risk," says Mirko Manske, Head of the Department of Operational Evaluation Cybercrime in the BKA. "But to anticipate panic, you should be aware that today every motorist can be the victim of a traffic accident.And if you continue this comparison, nowadays there are significantly more nasty drivers on the road, and thus the risk of being involved in an accident increases become." According to Manske, there is no one hundred percent safe protection system today. But if you follow the advice below, the risks are much lower.
Better passwords
Passwords are the biggest flaw in our online life: 90 percent of all German Internet users use names and dates for the password because they can remember it well. With software, Internet fraudsters can crack such passwords in seconds: 60,000 word combinations per second are scanned.
It is important to assign complex passwords. A weak password such as "Maria123" does not stand up to criminal attacks, which are often carried out by means of dictionary attacks. Your password should also not be directly related to data from your own life. However, it is very important to assign different passwords for each of the different platforms on which you are traveling on the Internet. Otherwise the loss of a single login can do a great deal of damage. Changing passwords frequently does not really help, "says Mirko Manske.
Tip: Invent a fantasy word of at least eight characters, including large and small letters and numbers. Well suited are initial letters from memorabilia that only you can know alone: "My neighbor has 3 cats and lives on the 2nd floor" so "MNh3Kuwi2S".
Beware of Facebook links
"Look here, this video is really funny" is there in the Facebook feed - and since the link was posted by a friend, everything looks very trustworthy. But: Facebook-distributed links can also install Trojans with you.
"Modern Trojans are like criminal general purpose weapons, says BKA expert Manske." Today you can record much more than just logins and passwords. For example, they allow the offender to surf through an infected computer. Then it looks as though the victim had done certain things on the internet, but in fact it was a criminal who had his Internet traffic through the victim's infected computer. "The perpetrators can not just use your computer as you like - including yours Facebook friends then find the link to the funny movie in their timeline, and may also be victims of the Trojan attack.
Car updates
Sometimes you annoyingly click away the update notes of your computer? In that case, you should no longer ignore your computer if it wants to update itself. Only up-to-date software and operating system are optimally protected, because updates are always there to close security holes. Third-party programs, such as Acrobat Reader or Java, downloaded from the Internet should also be updated. In particular, your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) should always be used in the latest version - after all, it is the medium in which you enter your sensitive data.
Encrypt WLAN
Going online without the hassle of cables is convenient. But many wireless connections are poorly secured: Whether neighbors or passers-by or the camera car from Google Streetview - with any wireless-enabled device within range of the wireless connection you can then access your Internet connection. The most secure encryption standard today is called WPA2-PSK - and you should set it up immediately if you have not already done so while installing your router.
Beware of public hotspots
Clear: free Wi-Fi in cafes and restaurant is a nice thing. But most operators do without secure encryption, and with little effort every guest at the next table, who is interested, can read along.Also critical: shared computers, e.g. in hotel lobbies: There, many users automatically leave their personal information (such as passwords) in the browser without realizing it. Therefore, in public terminals always in the "private" mode of the browser (found in the settings) to surf - or it is best to do without the visit of websites, in which you log in.
Install virus scanner
Viruses, Trojans, Spyware: It is negligent to be on the Internet without anti-virus program and from our point of view, this also applies to Apple computers, "says cybercrime expert Manske." For years, nothing has been heard about attacks on Macs, but that's changing. "
The free offer "Avira AntiVir Personal" together with the Windows Firewall provides good protection, but of course is not a license to ignore all precautions. And to make sure you do not lose everything, save your most important data to an external hard drive or USB flash drive on a regular basis - these are no longer expensive and can be the last resort for you in an emergency.
Recognize phishing attempts
More and more frequently, online criminals are using fraudulent emails to seek out important data. You should never click the warning: "Attention, your computer is infected with a virus!" or the message: "You must update your e-mail account, otherwise it will be deleted." Behind it are always hiding online criminals. The same applies to surprising winning messages, even if they come from seemingly familiar addresses.
Most importantly: Never respond to emails asking you to "update" your password with the attached link (supposed sender: eBay, Paypal, your bank, etc). If you are not sure whether the hint is actually genuine, rather go directly to your bank's website and see if there's a hint for your user account. No reputable company will ask you for your password by e-mail or chat.
Avoid spam
Not always criminal and dangerous, but definitely annoying: spam. There is a convenient and straightforward way to protect against spam and not tell the world the main email address: disposable addresses. You will find the option in the mail program you are using. Without creating a new account, you can invent new free e-mail addresses with which you send messages. Incoming messages are sent directly to your main account without the sender knowing.
Secure smartphones
Like computers, of course, smartphones are also a popular destination for data thieves. Especially Android users should be aware that their open system should also be protected against viruses and spyware. Especially when installing apps, you should make sure that you only install programs from vendors that you know and trust. Good is always the check, which permissions the app would like. When a harmless game suddenly demands unrestricted access to your smartphone, caution is advised! iPhone users are better protected, since only Apple-tested program ever come into the App Store. But still: That too is no guarantee that every app available is absolutely harmless.
It is also useful to secure the phone by PIN code or pattern or face recognition (Android). If you lose your phone, then at least not everyone who finds it can immediately browse through your mails and photos.
No critical documents on the hard disk
Cybercrime expert Mirko Manske also advises caution when backing up personal documents: "Never save the copy of the identity card or birth certificate on the computer - unless you can encrypt the documents multiple times, which is the point at which attacks on For example, the perpetrator only needs to convince the lady in the post office that he has lost his identity card and only has this copy available ... and he is already "you". "
Common sense
The most important tip, which unfortunately is quickly forgotten: "Turn on the brain when using the Internet!" Says Mirko Manske. "Wondering if it makes sense what you see on screen, does it make sense that your friend writes to you on facebook in English? Can it be that you are the very last heir of an oil sheikh? See e-mails from your bank If the answer is 'Actually not,' delete or ignore the email. "
