Staying Safe Online
You can stay safe online by taking a small number of security measures that will reduce your exposure to online threats.
Online Behaviours
Be Safe When Browsing: when you are visiting websites for sensitive transactions such as online banking or shopping ensure that there is a padlock icon in the URL field and that the web address starts with “https” (not “http”).
Share Selectively: be careful about what you share, especially personal identity information. This may lead to your passwords and logins becoming easily identifiable or impersonations of you.
Be Vigilant: Be mindful about the websites you visit and the information you share on these. Only share your information on trusted sites.
Think Security
Updates Are Important: Turn on automatic updates and ensure any security software on your machine is set to run regularly so that your software has the latest security features.
Use a Secure Internet Connection: You don’t have any control over the security settings when using public Wi-F. Be mindful about the websites you are accessing and information you are sharing on public Wi-Fi. If you have any concerns about the security of your device, then consider using sensitive websites at a later time.
Use Strong Passwords: Use passwords that are harder to guess- do not use passwords that are easy to remember e.g. “password’ or “ABCDE”. A strong password is unique and complex. Consider using passwords that are over 10 characters, mix letters and numbers, use a special character (e.g. !@£*) and use a mix of lowercase and capital letters.
Knowledge Of Scams
Be Scam Aware: Look out for information about the latest scams as online threats are constantly evolving.
Downloads, Attachments and Links: Be careful about what you download, the attachments that you open and links that you click on as these could be gateways for apps or programs that carry malware or steal information. If you think the download, attachments or links look strange or suspicious or comes from a source that you don’t trust, then don’t engage with it.
Get More Help Staying Safe Online
Other organisations provide information about how to stay safe online. Find out more below.
- Read Age UK’s guide to safe behaviour online.
- Read the BBC’s guide to being social whilst stay safe online.
