The internet can be a scary place.

It can be hard enough to stay safe online living in a fixed location, only ever connecting to the same home and work networks day after day.

But for mobile users - keeping connected can be a lot more dangerous, complicated, and confusing!

Mobile users are naturally exposed to more potential risks because they are connecting in so many different environments.

Wi-Fi networks, particularly unsecured and unmanaged public networks, can have hidden threats lurking. And even on password protected networks, you may still be subject to snooping or attack from anyone else who has the network password and who happens to be connected to the same Wi-Fi access point.

Cellular connections on the other hand may be secure from the prying eyes of your virtual neighbors, but you still might be concerned about your cell carrier monitoring your usage for advertising and tracking purposes.

Even with "unlimited" cellular plans, high-speed data limits and coverage issues may force cellular users onto very sketchy Wi-Fi to get their online fix.

And even if you trust that your connection is secure - what about the sites that you are connecting to? Do you trust them?

The number of potential threats lurking online are almost enough to make you want to pull the plug permanently!

Fortunately, mobile internet security isn't that hard if you follow a few basic rules-of-thumb.

And when something does go wrong - a few prudent precautions taken in advance can keep an "incident" just an annoyance, rather than a disaster.

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Included In This Guide:

• Don't Worry (Too Much), Be Happy
• Quick Tips: Security Do's & Don'ts
• Videos 
  • Quick 10 Tips Overview Video
  • Q&A Webinar Archive (member only)
• Safety & Security Best Practices (Member Only)
  • Keep your Systems Updated
  • Use the Web and Email Safely
  • Use Secure Connections
  • Practice Good Physical Security
  • Backup, Backup, Backup!
• Increasing Security with Better Passwords (Member Only)
  • Creating Secure Passwords
  • Password Managers
  • Dealing With 'Insecurity' Questions
  • More Password Tips
• Security and Mobile Internet (Member Only)
  • Security on Public Wi-Fi Networks
  • Security on Cellular Networks
• Privacy on your own Network (Member Only)
  • Protect Your Own Network
  • Watch What you Share
  • Network Names
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) Services (Member Only)
  • Do You Really Need a VPN?
  • Routers & VPN Services
  • VPN Performance Optimization
  • Cellular VPN Tricks & Limitations
• Wrap-Up

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Don't Worry (Too Much), Be Happy

First off - this guide isn't meant to scare you.

Staying safe online really isn't all that different than securing a house or a car.

If you lock the doors and don't leave valuables in plain sight, most thieves will move on looking for easier and more inviting targets.

The same applies online.

Unless you are a celebrity, government official, or executive - you are likely not worth any personal attention from hackers. If they can't hack you easily and automatically with tools that are targeting thousands of people at once - they will very likely move on.

Only the lowest hanging fruit gets picked - so don't make it easy!

And Don't Be Ruled By Fear!

It is easy to get caught up worrying about all the possible ways that things can go wrong online.

Don't do it!

Instead of dwelling on what can go wrong - take a few basic steps to protect yourself, set up a safety net just in case, and then deal with any problems only if they come up.

Unless you are a security professional or have a higher than average risk factors to worry about, life is too short to spend obsessively worrying about this stuff!

But it certainly helps to stay on top of the basics!

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Quick Tips: Security Do's & Don'ts

Before we dive in, here is a quick rundown of some key things you should be doing - and NOT doing - to keep yourself safe online.

• DO: Keep your system up to date with the latest security patches.
• DON'T: Click on suspicious links in emails.
• DO: Use hard to guess passwords.
• DON'T: Don't use the same password twice.
• DO: Use a WPA2 password for your own private Wi-Fi network.
• DON'T: Do not forget to change the default passwords on your networking gear.
• DO: Backup your data, to at least three different places.
• DON'T: Do not rely on backup hard drives that are more than five years old.
• DO: Be extra cautious on public Wi-Fi networks, and use a VPN when appropriate.
• DON'T: Do not enter any secure personal or financial data unless you are using "https://" and see a secure indication in your browser.
• DO: Enjoy all the wonderful things you can find online.
• DON'T: Don't stress too much about all of this, it really isn't that hard to stay relatively safe.

Do's and Don'ts Video

Here's a quick 5 minute video recapping the above Do's and Don'ts:

Now let's take things deeper...

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Wrap-Up

People tend to either obsess over security issues, or stick their heads in the sand and ignore them.

Both of these are poor strategies for staying safe, secure, happy, and productive online.

Better to strike a balance - and doing so smartly really isn't that hard.

Stay safe out there!

 

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