Being anonymous online directly correlates with protecting your privacy. If you don’t take proper steps to ensure your privacy online, you put yourself at risk of potential identity theft.
Cybercriminals don’t tire when it comes to finding new ways to get and exploit people’s sensitive information. Don’t let them target you. Check out the following tips that will help you stay completely anonymous online, away from cybercriminals’ reach.
1. Browse in Incognito Mode
Incognito mode means no storing of web cookies, no browsing history, and no temporary web caches. When you browse in incognito mode, you limit the information your web browser can collect about you.
It cannot store any of the information you enter in forms, such as your usernames and passwords, nor log the sites you visit. It cannot record your online activity at all.
However, you can’t hide your online activity from your ISP that way, nor from the websites, you visit. That’s why you should use this tip in conjunction with the other tips here.
2. Use Tor Browser
Tor Browser allows you to be completely anonymous online, as it doesn’t keep any logs. It doesn’t record your browsing history, doesn’t store any of your personal information, and doesn’t track you in any way.
Tor uses advanced encryption to protect your privacy and redirects your traffic several times before reaching your destination site. It redirects it from server to server across its encrypted network, making every connection seem random.
3. Delete Cookies Regularly
Websites use cookies to track their users, and essentially improve their user experience. They can learn more about you so that they can know how to address your pain points and engage you in their brand.
The problem arises when websites share information they collect from web cookies with third-parties. Those third-party sites might be harmless and also looking for ways to send you personalized ads.
But, if you want to avoid all that, clear all your stored cookies. If you want to be completely anonymous, block web cookies entirely.
4. Turn Off Autofill in Your Browser
Enabling the option to automatically fill out the online forms in your browser puts your personal and sensitive information at risk. This is because storing that information in your browser makes it possible for cybercriminals to find it.
Turning off the autofill option will provide you with an extra layer of security, preventing potential hackers from stealing or misusing your confidential information.
5. Turn Off Your Location
Disclosing your location enables websites to find out where you are, explore your location history, and identify you. Having your location on can be convenient in a number of situations, but definitely not if you want to stay anonymous online.
So, turn off your location on every device you’re using, and make sure you clear your location history as well.
6. Use a Proxy Server
Proxy servers act as intermediaries between the internet, that is, servers users want to connect to, and users’ web browsers. When you connect to a proxy server, your traffic goes through an encrypted server before reaching its destination.
That way, no one can discover your IP address, let alone try to target you. You stay completely anonymous.
7. Refrain from Using Public WiFi
Public WiFi doesn’t provide security, because it doesn’t allow encrypted connections. When you connect to a public WiFi hotspot, anyone can see you online and target you for various criminal gain.
If you absolutely must use public WiFi, don’t access your financial accounts, type any usernames and passwords, or click on any suspicious links.
8. Use a VPN
A VPN is the best way to remain fully anonymous online. That being said, it’s the best line of defence against potential cybercriminals-http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nordvpn.android&hl=en_US.
A VPN provides advanced data encryption, masks your IP address, hides your online activity, and protects you even when you connect to public WiFi. It’s the only tool that makes you completely anonymous in the online world. It also helps you bypass geo-blocking, among many other benefits it comes with.
Hiding your identity when browsing the internet is easier than ever with these simple steps. Start taking them today, and you’ll never have to worry about anyone stealing or misusing your private, sensitive information.