The Internet is a powerful tool that most of us use in our daily lives to stay in touch with friends and family all over the world.

Today, we use the Internet to access a wide range of information and services, perform bank transactions, make online purchases from any country in the world, and more.

As an Internet user, it is important to recognise that the Internet may come with some personal risks.

In the process of accessing information and services or making online purchases, some information may be transmitted, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Malicious hackers may utilise software such as computer viruses, worms, or scam techniques, such as phishing, to steal these confidential information, compromising your privacy and security. These activities can cause your computer to become unstable and you might even lose your data.

To ensure that you continue to enjoy a trouble-free and secure online experience, StarHub recommends that you take the following measures to protect your data:

Secure your passwords. Always pick strong passwords* and do not reveal them to anyone.

*Strong passwords should not be a string of letters or numbers that are easily referenced to the user (e.g. your name or birth date is  not considered a strong password). Strong passwords should consist of a combination of both numbers and letters, preferably  in a mix of upper and lower case.

Anti-Virus software is a must. Keep them updated regularly to prevent malicious software from spreading through the Internet onto your computer.

Firewalls should be installed, and you should learn how to use one properly. Firewalls monitor the network connections to and from your computer, identifying those that are suspicious and blocking hackers from access to your system.

Enable Updates for your software and Operating System. These updates will patch any security flaws and prevent them from being taken advantage of.

Spam and scams are junk mail or websites that offer deals that are too good to be true, in exchange for your money. Learn to identify these. Also, do not launch email attachments from senders who are not known to you, or without verifying them with the sender first.

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