Privacy is a very important factor whenever we surf the web, but sometimes we make mistakes that can compromise our personal information. In this article we are going to talk about what mistakes you should avoid if you want to browse anonymously and not put your personal data at risk. They could even sneak a virus into you if they get some information that you can expose on the Internet.
Errors that affect anonymity
Browsing completely anonymously today is really difficult. There are many trackers on the web and we constantly enter personal data or register on platforms. However, there are certain errors that can go further and cause all personal information to be exposed and end up in the wrong hands.
Be logged in
A key error that will affect our anonymity is when we browse the net and have a session started. For example, having a Google account open and searching or using YouTube. All this will be stored in the history and browsing will not be anonymous. You would have to log out or enter from an incognito window.
It can also happen when you have a social network open, such as Facebook, and you browse pages that have the typical Facebook button to give Like. They will recognize you as a user of this social network.
Exposing personal data publicly
Another common mistake is exposing personal data and also doing it publicly. For example, put a comment on a web page and allow the personal email or phone number to appear. This can end up in the wrong hands and include us in spam campaigns or phishing attacks.
Sometimes it is not even necessary that we put the data ourselves, but by having an account started, that information can be linked and appear when we put a comment on a website.
Browse with an unprotected computer
Of course, another failure that can affect anonymity is having an unprotected computer and browsing with it. They could sneak in spyware or access certain vulnerabilities and take control. In this way they could see everything we do, record the sites visited, the information we share on the network, etc.
To prevent this from happening, something essential is to have a good antivirus. This will help you prevent the entry of malware. For example, it could detect if a Trojan, spyware or keylogger capable of stealing your passwords slips into your system. But it is also key to have the system updated and correct any vulnerabilities that may exist.
Link social networks to other platforms
Social networks can leak personal data when browsing the web. This is what happens when we link them to other platforms. Surely you have ever seen pages that allow you to automatically log in with Facebook or Twitter instead of registering with a new account on that service.
This can be useful and convenient, but it can also lead to problems. It could affect your privacy and you should be careful where you log in with your social networks. Ideally, create a separate account and avoid problems. It is another error that can affect your anonymity on the network.
In short, how you see these mistakes or bad habits can affect your anonymity on the Internet. You can always know what information you expose on the Internet and take measures to prevent it from affecting your privacy as much as possible.
