Browsing the web safely is a task in itself these days. There are so many things to consider and manage. Your personal information, your financial information, your computer system or smartphone, your local storage device, your connected devices, and even your cloud storage. Protecting all of them all the time can be a challenge.

But there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you and your information are safe no matter how actively you use the Internet. So, today on the TuxlerVPN blog, we will discuss four tips for safe web browsing that can be practiced by anyone.

Are you a college student, a marketing professional, a businessperson, or a senior citizen? These tips are for all of you.

Don’t Skip Those System Updates

Whether you use Windows, macOS, Android, or Linux, stalling those periodic system updates can cost you in the long run. How? You may ask.

Well, in most cases, these updates contain critical security fixes and patches, in addition to developmental and aesthetic changes and new features. These are sent out by your OS’ development team as a way to help you safeguard your system from possible virus attacks and other issues. Skipping them means you are making your system and your personal information vulnerable.

What you should do: Switch on your system updates. The moment you get a notification saying that updates are ready, take some time to download and install them.

Use a Known Web Browser Like Chrome or Safari

There are tens of web browsers offering just about the same product in the market today. They are mostly free and typically have some extra kinks to attract users. Unsurprisingly, these features rarely help you stay safe online.

But web browsing isn’t an activity that you should take lightly. Frauds and hackers are actively on the lookout for people who may be using a weak system or browser. And the best way to give them the slip is to use a known and popular web browser.

Your options are Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. We don’t recommend experimenting with browsers that are not familiar with. It is best to avoid new browsers that look cool and powerful on the surface but are full of vulnerabilities on the inside.

What you should do: Use the native browser that came with your system or opt for popular alternatives like Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. For added protection, install the TuxlerVPN Chrome extension or a Mozilla Firefox VPN extension, depending on the chosen browser.

Use a Reliable VPN

We are suggesting this not just because we sell one but because it’s also the right thing to do. We have already spoken about the rising necessity of using a VPN in our day-to-day activities (on more than one occasion, actually), and moving on, it makes sense to use some sort of cover to hide your activities online.

When you use a VPN, it automatically encrypts your data and anonymizes your connection. This is like hitting two birds with one stone. You not only protect your personal information but also make sure that routine hackers find it difficult to intercept your communication.

What you should do: Get a good-quality VPN. You may consider residential IPs by TuxlerVPN to stay 100% anonymous.

Avoid Shady Links, Websites, and QR Codes

This is a cliché now, we agree. But it is still as relevant as it was when it was first suggested. Users around the world wide web still fall prey to phishing attacks and scams just by clicking on a questionable link or scanning a mysterious QR code. And before they realize that they have made a mistake, it’s usually too late.

The age-old wisdom of avoiding shady-looking links, websites, and QR codes still comes highly recommended. If anything looks weird or shady, it’s most likely it. Avoid them if you can.

Pro Tip – Look out for the secure emblem (usually as a lock sign) on the address bar of your browser when browsing questionable websites or accessing links shared by acquaintances. This is a mark of trust, though you should still be careful while clicking on weird-looking links.

What you should do: Don’t click on links shared by strangers on social media. And avoid websites that don’t look trustworthy. Listen to your gut.