National Computer Security Day - Tips from BlufVPN

National Computer Security Day is here!

November 30th is National Computer Security Day so we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you more about the history of this day and why it is so important. While we’re at it, we will also share some tips on how to stay safe online. 

Where National Computer Security Day Comes From

National Computer Security Day first came to be in 1988. It was The Association for Computer Machinery that inaugurated the holiday soon after the attack on ARPANET - the internet’s predecessor and the first wide-area packet-switched network. The network was established in 1969 and was also one of the firsts to implement the TCP/IP protocol suite. The network would essentially link over 100 universities and military sites, making the network more accessible, inclusive and effective.

The 1988 attack on ARPANET, executed by Robert T. Morris through “Morris Worm” left 10% of connected computers corrupted while also causing millions of dollars in damages. Morris Worm is still used to this day in cyber attacks. After 1988 it became evident that the Internet had a dark side, it could be exploited through the same characteristics that made it so desirable in the first place - speed as well as being open and frictionless. So the field professional started thinking about possible alternatives while also putting more effort into educating the public about Computer Security. That is how National Computer Security came to be.

National Computer Security Day raises awareness about possible risks that computer users face on a daily basis. This day also serves as a way to educate the public about the tools and actions that can help guard even everyday users against cyber attacks and privacy breaches.

In order to do our part on National Computer Security Day, here are some of the best practices you can apply to your daily life to ensure that you stay safe online. 

Upgrade your Passwords

We’ve all been there. You are creating an account on some app or website and you are too lazy to come up with a unique password so you just reuse the one you already have for another account and then the cycle repeats itself every time you want to open a new account. The majority of the population still uses passwords like “password”, “1234” “12345678” or their birth date. This is extremely risky, and could easily compromise all your accounts. Once someone figures out your password to just one of your accounts, they are going to try to use it on all other accounts as well. And if your go-to password is something as simple as “password”, you are much more likely to fall victim to cyber-attacks. 

While you may be prone to dismiss cyber attacks as “not real attacks” keep in mind that online fraud and hacks have real-life consequences, often quite serious ones. 

You can avoid all that by simply putting more effort into your online safety and security and choosing more elaborate passwords. It is equally as important to avoid reusing them for various accounts since that increases the chances of all your accounts getting hacked. 

Get a VPN

A VPN is the best way to ensure anonymity while surfing the web. While we might believe that our identity is safe and anonymous online, it is deceptively easy to figure out online users’ real identity, their IP address, location, etc. Your Internet Service provider can always see what you are doing online and can easily sell that valuable information to third parties for profit. What you do online is extremely valuable to companies who are trying to sell you their products or want you to engage with their content or even vote for a  political candidate they support. Your online habits are one of the most valuable commodities of today, that’s why there are so many threats coming from all directions towards internet users. So make sure that you don’t get exploited, and that your data is not sold without your consent, and use a VPN when browsing online. 

BlufVPN is an affordable and versatile VPN solution, offering 500 servers from over 60 countries and granting anonymity to its users. There are benefits to using VPN that go beyond online security. You can get access to content that is restricted in your country, or you can get better deals during your holidays. VPN is essential for every modern internet user. 

Regularly Update the browser of your choice

Browser updates are probably one of the most hated things when it comes to the Internet, but they are crucial if you want to maintain a good level of security online. Now you may be wondering, what do browser updates have to do with security? When browsers put out their updated version, that version has improved security tools and is generally better equipped to protect the user from cyber attacks. Small bug fixes and safety add-ons amount to improved security overall. Hackers and Cybercriminals are always updating their techniques and attack plans so it’s important that you also update your browser so that you can be protected against innovative attacks. While update notifications are annoying, they serve us very well in the safety department. So the next time you get an update notification, think twice before dismissing it. 

Staying safe online is no easy task. There is so much that we, as users, just simply can’t control. But luckily there are more and more tools and practices that can help us maintain anonymity online and keep our identity and personal information safe from snoopers. 

Sadly, the cases of internet fraud and cyber-attacks are not declining, which is why it is as important as ever to stay safe and use all the available tools to protect yourself and your devices.With the 3 small steps mentioned here, you could completely change your online protection level and finally feel safe on the internet.