
Most malware does not come in the form of viruses or trojans but is installed unknowingly by the user, for example, because it comes bundled with other software. Look in the settings of your device to see if there are updates available and if automatic updates are enabled. To protect against this, updates should always be installed as soon as they become available, ideally through an automatic process on your device. Then, as there is no longer an incentive to keep the vulnerability a secret, it suddenly becomes attractive to exploit against anybody who hasn’t updated their device. As soon as a vulnerability is reported to the vendor or becomes publicly known, it will be fixed. When useful vulnerabilities are discovered, they are often used against high-value targets first. Enterprises and freelance researchers constantly search for such vulnerabilities, which can be sold to criminals. The vast majority of the time, they are unintentionally introduced as the program is written and only surface through external scrutiny. Update your programsĪll software has vulnerabilities. This is especially important for devices that you loaned out or purchased on the second-hand market. When in doubt, install your own operating system or perform a factory reset. While there have been cases where laptops were shipped with vulnerabilities and spyware, this is rare. Your device is generally considered secure if you unpacked it from its original packaging or installed the operating system yourself. A compromised device could allow an intruder to access all data stored on it, perform actions on your behalf, and circumvent any security measures on your browser or your accounts. Securing your online experience starts with your device: the desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone you use to browse the web. In this guide, we take a comprehensive look at how to browse securely, taking into consideration everything from your device and browser to your passwords and accounts. All our personal data flows through them, which is why it’s essential to use them carefully. Similar to how our smartphones have become our cameras, music players, and flashlights, browsers now function as our mail, chat, and office programs.īrowsers act as transit programs. Already, they are the primary application on most computers. Browsers are slowly replacing operating systems as the central interface for devices.
