As I approach the final few assignments in this class, I realize I have learned so much about smart internet practices. One aspect that I believe I have changed my views on is cyber security. Although I had believe I was doing every right prior to this class, I learned that there are always new ways that you can better protect yourself online.
After reading the article “The Best Password Managers“, I learned that there were password managers. At first, I immediately thought that this was a really cool idea. Having a platform that can safely house all of your passwords is a useful tool. I also thought that this might be so easy for someone to hack and get all of your data. I realize now that using a password manager actually can protect you much better and is something I plan to research and implement after this class.
Another article that opened my eyes to something I want to look into further was “Top 10 Security Basics Everyone Should Follow“. I knew prior to this class that you should never do anything on public wifi that is super important but I didn’t know you could get a VPN to best protect yourself. A VPN is basically a virtual private network and allows you to have a private network while you are out in public. This was a great thing for me to stumble across because I love to do work in places like Starbucks which has public wifi. With a VPN, I can really protect myself and what I’m doing online.
With all of these security tips, I wasn’t that shocked with the article “What Facebook Knows About You”. I think everyone is pretty aware these days that Facebook tracks literally every move we make. I do believe that when we sign those agreements we give them that right however I just find it really interesting that they feel the need to have that much information on their users, when they’re only a social media platforms.
All of these practices really gave me a different perspective on security. Prior to this class, I definitely was cautious online but not very concerned. With all of the articles and research I have done because of this class, I realize that protecting myself online is just as important as protecting myself in real life. The internet can be a scary place but there are currently so many tools out there to make it a safer place for everyone.
