Tips for Staying Safe and Secure Online

Crossing the street at a busy intersection might be scary, but if you look both ways and follow traffic signals, chances are you'll get to the opposite side of the street safely. To accomplish this, you follow basic rules to avoid oncoming traffic. Not a big deal, right? Well, you should apply the same caution when using the internet.

AARP's new book My Online Privacy for Seniors offers simple steps to protect your safety and privacy, whether you are on your computer, phone, tablet or smart devices.

Here are 9 tips excerpted from the book on how to help you navigate our ever-changing connected world.

Safely surf the internet

One key way websites and online services collect and use information about you, the web surfer, is by using cookies. A cookie is a tiny file that's transferred to your computer from a website you visit. To quickly determine whether the web browser you're using is set up to allow cookies, visit this website. Each web browser has a different process for turning on/off or adjusting its cookie-related features.

Protect your security when working with emails

If your computer is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, a vulnerability exists when your computer wirelessly sends information through your home internet router or modem, or through a public Wi-Fi hotspot. To prevent this, consider installing a virtual private network (VPN) that'll work in conjunction with your web browser to encrypt all information as it leaves your computer or mobile device.

Remember online security basics

Some of the most commonly used passwords should never be used. These include the word “password,” your name, your child's name, your spouse's name, your pet's name, your birthdate, your anniversary date, your phone number, the letters “ abcdefgh ,” the number sequence “12345678,” the number sequence “87654321,” the number sequence “11111111,” the phrase “ letmein ,” the word “football,” the phrase “ iloveyou ,” or anything along these lines. (For example, using the password “22222222” is just as bad as using “11111111.") Using any of these passwords can compromise your online security.