Online entertainment is one of the fastest-growing trends across the globe. With as many as 4.5 billion people accessing the internet and this entertainment at any given time it is logical to expect that cybercriminals are also aware of this usage and use the online gaming sector to lure and target unsuspecting victims. Here are some of the most basic safety tips to implement immediately for the various forms of online entertainment out there.
Look for Licenses and Registrations
Regardless of what you like to do online as a form of entertainment, from the best online casino real money to the music you stream and the short media clips you watch, the sites you access must be registered and licensed to do what they’re doing. Look for these licenses, or registration certificates, generally on the bottom of their landing page. This will provide the first layer of safety and security.
The HTTPS Protocol
The https stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and is the way that sites you have accessed alert you to the fact that they use secure communication over the internet connection. It is the safest way to transmit data from a webpage or website to your web browser and you should ensure that all sites you access have this security protocol.
Have a Password Plan
With much more being done in the online space, there is a requirement for us all to have so many passwords. It is, thus, highly recommended to have a password plan, a clear idea as to how your passwords work, where they will be stored, if at all, and what sites you will use them for. Don’t re-use previously used passwords and change your password regularly. The plan that you have should set all this out clearly and be used as a reference document or the unwritten rules for all your passwords.
Don’t Share Too Much
Don’t share too much with the sites you use, nor on social media, or with other gamers that you meet online. You need to be mindful about how much, and what, you share with others. Information, such as your address and real name, are two of the simpler aspects of personal online safety that many of us get wrong when it comes to sharing.
Understand Malware and Phishing
You are only able to defend against it if you understand what it is. You need to be aware of the latest virus definitions and the use of malware and phishing, as the main forms of cyber-attack. Malware stands for malicious software that is typically delivered over the internet and is used to infect, steal, or damage the data that it then has access to or any adverse behavior that the attacker has programmed it to do. Phishing is the act of tricking the user into sending their information to a criminal that can then be used in a cyber-attack.
The online entertainment space is one of the busiest places on the internet. Everybody who has a smart mobile device and access to the internet is in this space looking for something to do, watch, or learn. The best advice is to stay as safe as possible in this space as it has also become the scene of some of the worst cyber-crime that there is. Be careful, follow these tips, and keep your online entertainment safe.