Protecting your personal data when searching the web

Do you feel unsure of the safety of your details when navigating the internet? Get security savvy with these top tips for protecting your personal data when searching the web.

Understanding online privacy risks

Browsing online often involves giving out your private information. For example, taking out subscriptions and memberships or purchasing products via e-commerce websites requires you to input your name, address and card details – and sometimes further information such as a phone number.

Giving out your personal information on the World Wide Web puts you at risk of it being stolen. This is known as identity theft. Armed with your details, identity thieves can take over and open new accounts, register for financial products such as credit cards and loans and commit social security fraud.

1 in 17 adults in England and Wales were victims of fraud in 2022-2023, driving government-led campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers and educate internet users on staying safe online.

How to keep personal data safe

Use secure connections

Not all online platforms are made the same. Some take measures to safeguard data while others are an attractive opportunity for hackers with gaping holes in their defences.

Especially for situations where money is transferred back and forth such as online gaming, take care to use secure connections such as a bingo app from a trusted provider or licenced website with an SSL certificate which shows connections are encrypted. The ‘s’ in the https at the beginning of a web address is an indicator of an SSL certificate.

Passwords and authentication

Even when using encrypted connections, add extra layers of security such as passwords and authentication. This is especially important for online platforms where your sensitive data is permanently stored such as work databases which record your National Insurance number and payslips.

The secret to creating strong passwords is to use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols in a random order. It should be at least 12 characters long and completely original.

To safeguard against situations where hackers manage to access passwords, add an authentication process as another layer of protection. Essentially, this is a process of proving that you are who you say you are. Randomly generated codes are sent to a registered phone number or email address, and you must input those codes online to successfully log in.

Identifying and avoiding scams

In response to upgraded security measures, hackers are developing ever-cleverer means of getting your passwords and personal information. Learning how to identify and avoid scams is therefore vital to staying safe online.

Beware copycat websites masquerading as the platform of a trusted provider. Always look for official logos and registered trademarks and evidence of encryption like the SSL certificate.

Cybercriminals also mimic companies you’ve interacted with in the form of fake emails and texts. These messages may include direct requests for information or can be more subtle, simply asking you to follow a link which will give them access to your device. These messages are often written in a way that makes you act quickly without thinking, so remember to stop and take time to verify the message is legitimate.