31 Security Tips for a Safe October

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, all the more reason to remind yourself to stay safe online. To start off, we`ve compiled a list of 31 handy security tips you should follow this month and every day of your digital life. You probably know some of them by heart, but it doesn`t hurt to add them to your digital routine.

One tip a day keeps malware away.

1. Keep your antivirus solution up-to-date to avoid the latest e-threats.
2. Create strong passwords using a mix of capitals, symbols and numbers. Oh, and keep them to yourself!
3. Never leave your devices unattended, especially if they`re not locked.
4. Be careful, think twice before opening attachments or links from suspicious emails.
5. Check your websites are HTTPS-enabled before banking and online shopping.
6. Backup your data regularly, whether in the cloud or on hardware devices, accidents do happen!
7. Disinfect USB devices as soon as you plug them into your computer, they might contain malware!
8. Learn how to set up parental controls to make sure your kid is not a victim of cyberbullying, online pedophiles and other forms of harassment.
9. If you lose your credit card, notify your bank immediately and routinely review bank statements.
10. Avid gamer or not, don`t download executables from rogue websites or torrent trackers.
11. When you sell or lend your phone, format and overwrite its internal data with a secure erase tool.
12. Use browser anti-tracking and anti-cookie extensions to anonymize your digital footprint.
13. To prevent unwanted in-app purchases, set up a PIN to lock a mobile app which carries sensitive information.
14. Use an antivirus with anti-spyware capabilities or install a free adware removal tool to get rid of annoying adware.
15. Extend your smartphone`s battery life by turning off Wi-Fi, radio, GPS and Bluetooth when not in use.
16. Don`t overshare information on social networking sites.
17. If possible, use credit cards when shopping online, for higher anti-fraud protection.
18. Don`t unsubscribe links to newsletters via suspicious emails because spammers can grab your email address.
19. Conceal your laptop camera, you can be spied on even when offline.
20. Turn on your Firewall whenever you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
21. Turn off the sharing functionality on your mobile device when you go online.
22. For more privacy, restrict your visibility in Google search results by tweaking your settings.
23. Don`t be afraid to report inappropriate content, including fake Facebook profiles claiming to be you.
24. When you install a new app, it pays off to read the permissions and Terms and Conditions.
25. Think twice before posting potentially embarrassing pictures of yourself or your family and friends.
26. If you access the Internet from a shared computer, make sure you don’t leave anything private behind.
27. To prevent eavesdropping on your browsing habits, sign into a free VPN service.
28. Use a disposable e-mail address to register web services you don`t want emails from.
29. Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
30. Don`t forget to update all your software, sign in for automatic updates and forget about them.
31. Last but not least, stay informed, read security news and blogs to learn what you need to do to stay 100% safe.

What`s the best security tip you`ve ever received?