Who is responsible for keeping the internet secure?

A lot of people think that it’s only Tech Giants that are responsible for keeping their data safe when they use the internet, but that’s not true. The truth is that there are a lot of people involved in keeping our internet secure. The major players include:

1. Government agencies

They have the power to regulate what can be done concerning cyberspace in their respective countries. They also have control over various aspects of infrastructure that can be used in attacks or used as a platform for launching such attacks (e.g., hosting providers). In addition, they have the power to force companies operating within their jurisdiction to comply with laws that protect national security interests (e.g., data privacy laws).

The government can’t do everything by itself though; it needs help from citizens like you. You can help stop online crime by being cyber smart, reporting suspicious activity when you see it, and taking steps to protect yourself against cyber threats like viruses, malware, and scams.

2. Individuals (you)

As a user, it’s important to understand how your actions affect the internet as a whole. It’s not just about protecting yourself from malicious actors, but also about protecting others from yourself and from those who could take advantage of you.

You can’t control what other people do online, but you can control your actions. If you have multi-layer protection in place, like a password and two-factor authentication, for example, it makes it harder for someone else to access your account if they get their hands on your password. Cyber awareness on your part is also a key to keeping the Internet safe. You have a major role to play

3. Service providers

They control much of our online activity — including where we go on the Web and what we do when we get there. As such, they play an important role in protecting our privacy and security online. However, service providers themselves face threats from hackers looking for vulnerabilities in their systems or networks that could be exploited.

Ways you can protect yourself on the internet

There are things that you can do to help keep yourself safe on the internet. Here are some of them:

1. Use strong passwords

Use strong passwords for all your accounts, including email accounts and social media profiles like Facebook and Twitter. Make sure they’re strong (not easy to guess) and don’t use the same password for multiple sites or accounts.

They should be long enough — at least 14 characters — simple but complex, don’t reuse passwords across accounts and update them regularly. If possible, use two-factor authentication so that even if someone uses brute force (guesses) or steals your password they won’t be able to log in without another piece of information that only you have.

2. Be careful about what you share online

Limit the personal information you share on social media platforms. Don’t post anything about yourself that could be used against you later on (photos, videos, comments about where you work or live, etc). This includes posting photos of yourself drinking alcohol or doing drugs, which can make it easy for someone to impersonate you online without your consent (even if they aren’t trying to steal your identity).

3. Don’t click suspicious links

Be suspicious on the links in your emails or SMS from people you do not know well or from those that claim to know you (like those “you won money” scams).

To avoid being fooled by phishing emails, look out for warning signs like typos or grammar mistakes in the email, unusual emails address or subject lines as well as poor spelling in the body of the message itself. Avoid the temptation of wanting to reap where you did not plant. If possible, don’t click on any links within the email.

You should also be aware of phishing attacks, which are one of the most common types of cyber attacks. Phishing attacks are when someone tries to trick you into giving them access to your account by pretending to be someone else. For example, they might send an email claiming to be from your bank or credit card company asking for personal information such as your login details or BVN.

4. Be careful when using public Wi-Fi

Use caution when using public Wi-Fi networks at coffee shops, airports, hotels, and other places where strangers can access your network connection without your knowledge or permission. Don’t visit sites that have financial or personal information when using an unsecured network because hackers could access it over these networks without anyone knowing they were there.

If you do have to access sensitive information from public Wi-Fi, make sure to use a trusted VPN service, which encrypts all data sent between your computer and the internet, making it impossible for hackers to intercept it even if they are on the same network as you are.

5. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication requires you to enter a password (what you know) and then provide a second form of identification to confirm your identity (what you have or what you are). This prevents someone from logging in as you on your account without actually having access to your phone.

6. Use an ad blocker or tracker blocker

Ad blockers prevent websites from serving up ads and trackers that collect data about what you do online. Blockers can also protect against malware and phishing attacks that try to steal information from your device or trick you into handing over sensitive details like passwords or credit card numbers.

7. Use a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) is software that encrypts your data and anonymizes your IP address so that you can browse the internet more safely and securely. A trusted VPN makes it harder for hackers to find out what you’re doing online. It also hides where you are connecting from, and makes it harder for websites to track your movements across the web.

8. Use antivirus software

Antivirus software scans your computer for viruses, spyware, and other malicious programs that could harm it or steal your personal information. Make sure you always update your antivirus program so that it can detect new threats as soon as they appear on the internet.

Conclusion

The internet is a network of networks, and it relies on many different technologies to function. It’s also an open community where anyone can participate or contribute. As such, there are many different parties involved in keeping the internet secure.

It is important to note that there are many factors involved when discussing security issues on the internet. No single person can claim responsibility for keeping everything safe from hackers or viruses because there are so many different areas where these threats can come from, which affect everyone differently.

If you want to keep yourself safe online, you should always be careful about what links you click on and what websites you visit. You should also make sure that your computer has up-to-date antivirus software installed on it at all times so that it can identify any viruses that may be trying to attack your system. As we may know, the weakest link to internet security is people, create time for cybersecurity awareness today.

Our Research Analyst: Endurance Igbru