These days, the internet stores vast amounts of personal information. However, without proper measures to heighten privacy and cybersecurity, your data is vulnerable to theft and malicious activity. In 2021 alone, there have been over 1,291 data breaches, which have cost businesses around $4.24 million per incident.
This is why businesses and individuals must take proper measures to increase data privacy. In honor of this year’s Data Privacy Day, let’s take a look at a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your business online.
Switch Your Search Engines
Due to its vast database, most internet users primarily rely on Google as their top search engine. While this practice provides valuable results, it can compromise your privacy online. Considering this, you can heighten your cybersecurity by using anonymous search engines, such as Duck Duck Go, which do not collect or share your search history or website clicks. In addition, if you’re using anonymous search engines, you can also block ad trackers while visiting websites.
Moreover, you can also use safer browsers like Firefox, a product by Mozilla. Mozilla has a mission to prioritize your data privacy.
Take Advantage of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Using a VPN can also help you increase privacy online. With a VPN, you can maintain your anonymity by creating a private network while using a public internet connection. When you are using a VPN, your IP address becomes virtually untraceable. Moreover, the activity you perform online is also not tracked.
Essentially, if you’re using public Wi-Fi, using a VPN can protect you from cybercriminals who can access your personal information. While several VPNs are available for free, they may not be as secure as paid options, which is why you may consider a paid VPN to optimize your privacy.
Use Tools That Warn About Privacy Breaches
Data breaches are not only limited to your phone and laptop devices. Instead, all your smart devices, including smartwatches and virtual assistants, can track, store, and even sell your data.
This is why it is essential to remain aware of unsafe devices and applications that compromise your privacy. You can use tools like Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Guaranteed” platform to learn more about less secure media that you can avoid.
Data privacy and protection are essential in this digital age. If you want to protect your sensitive data online, follow the preceding tips. You can also increase your data privacy by using advanced encryption tools. Visit DataLocker now and request a custom demo to upgrade your cybersecurity.