At this spooky time of the year, we're perhaps all a little bit more aware of ghosts and spectres lurking in dark corners.
But what about the darker corners of the internet? Security threats are a year-round risk, so don't wait for Halloween to scare you into upping your online safety protections.
So if you're looking for some inspiration to boost your security guards this year, here are some of our top tips to make sure you don't get spooked this month.
Watch out for phishing tricks
Phishing scams are nothing new, as hackers look to trick victims into handing over personal information or financial details by using legitimate-looking emails hiding malicious links.
These scams have come a long way in recent years, and often use real branding and images to fool users into a click.
Fortunately, Bitdefender Total Security comes with a range of tools to make you stay protected from all the latest threats, including an advanced filtering system that warns you whenever you visit websites that may try to scam you, and advanced anti-phishing protection that helps sniff out and block any malicious websites in order to steal your financial data, passwords or credit card numbers.
Give your passwords a makeover
We should all know how important passwords are by now, offering a vital and unavoidable part of online security whether you're at home or at work.
Employing hard-to-guess passwords that feature a mix of letters, numbers and special characters has also long been common knowledge, helping prevent criminals from guessing your logins, as all it takes is for one of your accounts or passwords to be compromised in order for hackers to potentially get the keys to the kingdom.
We know that remembering and changing unique passwords for all your accounts can be a big ask, but Bitdefender Total Security (opens in new tab) features an in-built Password Manager service to let you keep track of all your passwords, credit card information, and other sensitive data in a cyber-vault for easy access whenever you need them.
Hide away with a VPN
Staying safe from online spooks and trackers can be easier than ever if you use a Virtual Private Network, or VPN.
Most of us will have used a VPN for work purposes, and will be aware of how helpful the tools can be when connecting to a protected network such as at your workplace. However a VPN also helps keep you safe online by disguising your internet connection to make it seem you are based in whatever country you choose, keeping third-parties such as advertisers or hackers blocked from following your internet activity or snooping on your location.
Bitdefender Total Security (opens in new tab) comes with a comprehensive and improved VPN service that's perfect for work and home use, providing 200MB of encrypted data traffic per day for your Windows, Android, macOS and iOS devices at no extra cost, meaning you'll be able to stream and surf online whilst staying secure without restrictions.
Wrap up all your devices
Finally, it's important to remember that at these times of increasing risk, all our connected smart devices need protecting. Whether laptop, smartphone, tablet, or even routers and smart home devices, we own and use more connected devices today than at any other time in history, and with many of us now also increasingly working from home, the security threat landscape has never been wider.
To keep all this protected, Bitdefender Total Security (opens in new tab) aims to protect all your smart devices, providing computing and mobile products with an equal amount of protection.
The platform covers Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, including several generations of each software, and protection can be extended over up to 15 devices per household, meaning you can also keep your loved ones safe online.
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