How to avoid and defend against spoofing - Spoofing?

In the face of big innovations, big problems often arise. Computer technology and the Internet have had a major impact on the pace of life of society .

One of the biggest drawbacks is without a doubt the high chances of suffering from a digital or computer attack . Not many people know about the big threats that can be hidden behind a web platform, file, or program.

What is Identity Theft?

THE identity theft is one of the greatest risks anyone can experience while on the internet . In what way? Well, social networks are the easier target, a place where you really don't know who is on the other side and what they are capable of.

Posting photos, videos, and sharing different data and information allows others to take back your identity for any purpose: from creating a fake profile to having more interaction or something more serious like a scam or harassment that you might end up suffering in. the results.

How to avoid identity theft?

Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to increase security rate of your social networks , your emails and any other platform where you can download documents, programs or any other type of file.

Web address

What's the best (besides the easiest) way to know that a page is secure? Through its URL. You just need to make sure it has the "https" protocol . The security of this protocol is preferred by banking platforms to protect against any attack and protect you from information leaks.

E-mails

Files may contain malware specializing in collecting information from your computer to send it to a third party. So, when you receive a strange email, keep the following points in mind:

• Email address of the person sending the message.
• What page does it refer you to? It is not recommended to access web pages in which you have to fill out forms with personal data (and even less if they ask you for information about your cards or bank accounts!).
• Before downloading a file, you can open it on the platform, for example from Google Drive . This tool allows you to check that the document (Word, Excel, PDF) is virus free.

Secure connections

Another important aspect is the type of network you connect to. Many cafes, restaurants or squares maintain public networks accessible to everyone, but… could this affect you?

The answer is yes. It is always recommended to maintain a connection to networks with protected access parameters : WPA, WPA 2 or WEP.

However, in case you really need to establish a connection to a public network, pay attention to the security of websites that you visit or applications you use.

Defense mechanisms

It is not necessary to wait for this type of situation to transcend the legal field (since it is a crime). Nothing better than to protect yourself to avoid bad times. Tools? There is some left! And here are the most important.

Up-to-date software, secure software

Malware develops alongside software, but the second element is usually more powerful than the first. Smartphones, tablets, computers and other devices can be vulnerable if they maintain a outdated operating system .

What to do with passwords?

You have surely carried out, with great annoyance, a process of updating your passwords. But all is well: the combination of letters, numbers, symbols and parameters such as not being similar to the five passwords used previously or not including personal data, are of enormous importance.

To log in to web platforms, the use of tools such as Password Manager is recommended.

This function is built into browsers and can be intuitive enough to do not carry out the automatic filling process by because of a threat on the page… if so, quit.

Don't be part of the statistics

Every year, millions of people suffer from usurpation by identity. But thanks to these tips, you have what it takes to avoid falling into the trap. Share and protect others from identity theft!