We cannot stress enough how convenient it is to use the digital space with most of our activities. Either for work, school, or leisure, the newest technology helps us catch up with our fast-paced lifestyle. However, along with this convenience also come the threats that come if we are not too careful. Some people actually make a living by hacking into others’ systems to use their data against poor, innocent users. If you have ever watched web horror films, although some of it might just be an exaggeration, hackers might do something like that. If you want to stay secure and protect your data and documents, we are here to help! Here are some things that you can do to avoid hackers!

1. Encrypt your document

The best way to protect your documents is to use encryption and secure it with a password. Many software programs that we usually use have the option to apply passwords to documents. While this can be good enough to secure your document to a certain level, these kinds of protections are still possible to crack. To add more security to your documents, you can check out digital tools online that add protection to your documents, like PDFBear. It can protect PDF and other documents. It uses 256-Bit encryption, which ensures the utmost security for you and your documents.

2. Control access for file sharing

You can secure your data to a certain level if you restrict the access of your documents on file-sharing platforms. This will keep unauthorized personnel out of your documents. Set permissions that will restrict others from accessing your files and folders. Although, if you are working in an office and you share the computer that holds your files, this restriction will probably not work. Use file-level kinds of permissions or NTFS permissions. Check out the Security tab by opening the properties sheet.

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3. Always do a backup

Better do a back-up than sorry. Make sure that you always have a backup for your files, so you will not end up losing your files, in case something bad happens. About how often you will back up your files, that is up to you. Just weigh your options if you are going to back up either weekly, daily, or even per the progress of your document. If your document is too important that losing even just a small update is not an option, then you might just do a more frequent update. You can avail of the backup offered by Windows, which is the ntbackup.exe for initial backups. You can fix the options for your backup settings, yourself. You can also check out scheduled backups that automatically do their job.

You can also use other tools and programs for doing backup jobs for you that will have more complex options. For what it is worth, have an offsite backup for your files in case of natural disasters.

4. Get the most updated anti-virus protection

Always keep your anti-virus protection updated for it to protect you more efficiently. Hackers also update how they will operate as frequently as they can. This is the reason getting the most recent technology will provide you with ample protection. An example that you should be cautious about is Malware. Malware, short for malicious software, can enter your computer’s system and damage it without you knowing it. This can come in different forms like spyware, computer viruses, trojan horses, and more.

Malware can hide even in places you least expect it, like in websites and emails or downloaded files. To protect yourself from this, avoid suspicious links and websites, do frequent anti-virus scanning, and yes, get reliable and updated anti-virus software.

5. Make hard drives unreadable before disposing

Most of the time, malicious elements grab ahold of your files from the computers you sell or dispose of. Even if you have already deleted them, they still have a way of retrieving them. As a precaution to this kind of infiltration, shred your disk or clean it magnetically. You can also use software to clean your disk. Doing this will make your hard disk unreadable. Anyone who gets ahold of your old laptop would not be able to access your old files anymore.

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 6. Always update your operating system

Just like getting a more updated anti-virus software, updating your operating system to the latest version will also give you the most recent protection against threats to your computer. Yes, we know that these kinds of updates can take time and usually happen in the most crucial moments. However, it is a big help in keeping our system secure.

Nothing wrong with being too cautious

Now that you know some tips for keeping your data secure, it is up to you to try it all out or explore some other ways. Surely, other safe ways to protect your data and files are available. Just make sure that it is truly safe and recommended. Always do thorough research.