10 Most Important Laptop Safety Tips You Should Know.
Laptops are essential in this day and age, and apart from being an essential item, they are also usually susceptible to hacks and other cyber-crimes. A lot of people are scared of falling a victim of cybercrime – and rightfully so – because there are so many things that could go wrong if your laptop or the files on your laptop fall into the wrong hands. Your identity could be stolen, your bank account wiped out, sensitive information put out in public and a host of other issues that we rather not deal with. It suggests that we need to learn proper laptop safety tips to keep our laptops safe and secure.
Set A Log-In Password
The first basic thing you need to do to protect your laptop is to set a login password to prevent easy access to your files. Don't make the job too easy for criminals seeking to get into your laptop. Also, make sure the password is complex and not something that can be easily guessed, even by people close to you.
Encrypt Your Hard Drive
If you have done the basic thing by setting a password to log in, you should take the laptop safety tip a step further by encrypting your hard drive. If your laptop is stolen, your hard drive can be removed to access your files. To prevent this from happening, you should encrypt your hard drive.
Install An Anti-Virus
Getting a virus into your laptop is also another way your system can be hacked and your files accessed. You cannot always know the conditions of the external devices you connect to your laptop or the websites you visit, your anti-virus will serve as protection by alerting you and blocking malware.
Keep Your Software Updated
Most notable software usually comes with auto-update (which is advisable to install) or they alert you of updates to install manually. Keeping your system updated will protect your laptop from malware because outdated versions are less safe.
Avoid Clicking On Unfamiliar Links
Hackers are constantly sending unsafe links to people via email or they could be contained in some websites. Be careful of the websites you visit and don't click on any link that looks suspicious, especially, if you are not sure of its source.
Be Careful When Using A Public WiFi Connection
It is better to avoid using public WiFi connections if you can. But if you cannot, be careful about the information you enter into your system during that time. Don't enter private information you know can be used against you. Or you can use a virtual private network in public so people using the same network can't track your activities.
Use A Screen Guard
A screen guard allows you to view your screen clearly but appear blank from other angles. It will protect your files from being seen by snoopers when you are using your laptop in public.
Backup Your Files
Several things can make you lose your files, so backing up your files is very important; you cannot afford to risk it. The usual cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon Drive are great options for backing up files. Some people save files in their email as well by sending the file to their email or putting it in a draft.
Get A Laptop Cover
You can protect your laptop with a laptop cover to protect it from scratches, wear and tear, and also to reduce the risk of damage if it falls. It is more like a hardware precaution.
Keep Your Laptop in A Cool, Dry Place
Laptop and water don't mix. It is probably better to have a separate area where you keep your laptop and as much as possible, keep liquid and other food particles away from such area.
Protecting your laptop cannot be overemphasised; not only do you not want to lose your laptop; you also don't want to lose your files. To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should put all the laptop safety tips listed to heart.
