Online security – Is it really as important as people say?

Security is an extensive term and one that’s very open to interpretation. For some, it’s knowing that they have a large door at home that they can lock so that no unwanted guests will come inside. For others, it’s having their personal information being safely guarded on a remote computer by a company with high IT security standards.

However, both of these people share one common trait – they both hold the key to their ideal of security.

If the person with the large door forgets to lock it, then their home is no longer secure, no matter the size or strength of the door. Similarly, suppose the person who holds his sensitive information on a remote computer uses a very weak password to access it. In that case, it also becomes open to attack or theft, no matter how advanced the computer’s security system is.

The problem is that since the tech world has become so easily accessible, people seem to underestimate the importance of their security Online. It’s just as important to be safe on the Internet as it is in real life. But, if you’ve only recently begun checking out this Internet stuff, you may ask – “Why should I care?”. For those out there who believe so, I’ll point out a few reasons that will hopefully change your mind about the subject.

First and foremost – the Internet is everywhere.

Even if you don’t think you actively use it, you are still a part of it. For instance, even ordering something as ordinary as a credit card will mean that your personal information is stored on a remote computer, regardless of the method you use to register, be it via paper or e-mail or a call to the banking service itself. Every large company uses computers to store data mainly for one straightforward reason – it’s cheaper. It’s also far more accessible and faster than using paper to document everything. On the other side, it also opens up a copious amount of possibilities for people who have ill intentions to gain access to everything you have. Now, take into account how many services you use daily, and then imagine that each and every single one of them holds some sort of information about you. If even one of them is compromised – then you can consider all of them compromised unless you have additional security measures in place. This is mainly avoided simply by not registering on fishy websites and using different passwords on said websites.

Moving forward, when considering keeping your Online identity in check, you shouldn’t only consider that your private information might be stolen. You should also remember not to clutter it with publicly available info since that might impact your professional and personal life in unforeseen ways. The Internet has a colossal wealth of available information. It is incredibly convenient to learn about a wide variety of subjects, ranging from gardening tips to a recipe on making nuclear fuel for a rocket airship. This convenience comes with a downside, though. Indeed, it’s never been easier to find a chocolate cookie with chips recipe, but it’s also just as easy to investigate other people. Since social networking pages are growing exponentially popular these days, and most have public profiles, reading someone else’s life can be like reading a piece of paper. And, you have to be careful about what you want that piece of paper to show, because once it’s written – it stays there. Employers will often check your reputation online to see whether you are safe to hire. Unfortunately, that can sometimes be the tipping point between you being chosen, or someone else, if you decided one day to post something very radical on one of your social media profiles. It may not be entirely ethnic, but it is something that contributes to the image of your character, and companies may not see you fitting into their team without giving you a chance to prove them otherwise. This also applies to personal relationships that could usually bloom, but the other person decided that your shared post does not fit their beliefs and thus wouldn’t like to continue building a relationship with you. On the flip side, if you post various progressive thoughts and follow different successful people, it may show others that you are looking to better yourself and cause them to be drawn to you.

To sum up, as technology is advancing, your Internet identity is becoming an essential part of your day-to-day life. It can improve your personal and professional lives or cause massive damage if not kept in check or secured.