We asked tech journalist Nafisa Akabor for her top tips for staying safe online

secure passwords

Studies have found that people who change their password more frequently are less likely to have many security concerns. We suggest using password storage apps, they’ll allow you to keep all your passwords safe, as well as allowing you to make them impossible to crack.

Two-factor authentication

Say ‘yes’ to this option when it’s offered on sites and services. We also highly recommend that you don’t use your phone as the second factor. Using a tactic called SIM spoofing, hackers who have access to your SIM card could reverseengineer access to almost all of your accounts. Instead, download an app like Authy (free on IOS and Android).

end-to-end encryption

This became a point of interest among students during #Fees Must Fall, when students wanted a way to speak to each other without the fear of being surveilled. They turned to the Telegram app, and we’re here to tell you not to make the same mistake. These days, WHATSAPP is secure and offers encryption on all your chats. If you’re really worried, use Signal’s (free on IOS and Android) secret chat function, which automatically deletes messages after a set amount of time. Fun fact: Slack isn’t encrypted, and that’s because your boss doesn’t want it to be.

have I Been Pwned

Worried you’ve been hacked? Nafisa suggests you check the security status of your email address at haveibeenpwned.com, and change your password immediately if necessary.

Virtual Private Network

If you’re concerned about a stalker or hacker, a VPN makes it a lot harder to find your IP address, which can be used to find your location or even hack into your router where a lot more damage can be done. A simpler solution for anonymous browsing? Use a coffee shop, Internet cafe or any public network to mask your identity.

Tor

A slightly more unwieldy alternative is Tor, a web browser with a practical aspect at heart: anonymity. Tor protects your IP address, thus your privacy, making your Internet traffic virtually untraceable.