Avoid all pirate sites to ensure you’ll never become a phishing victim. While it’s super tempting to download music, movies, and even TV shows for free, the best thing would be to avoid using torrent websites.

These websites are usually unsafe and loaded with malicious links and malware downloads. However, if you prefer downloading pirated content, at least make sure you activate a powerful antivirus program with effective real-time malware detection.

Using a VPN when downloading files is also advised because it hides your real IP and prevents your internet service provider from seeing your online activity.

Use different passwords! Because it’s probably the most efficient way to keep online accounts as safe as possible. The trick here is that remembering too many passwords is nearly impossible, so using a password manager would be much better. We’d recommend you try 1Password.

Also, you need to keep your system constantly updated. Ensure you keep all your operating systems and programs updated because that’s your best shot, for software developers are continuously patching security vulnerabilities.

The best thing you can do is set your computer to install all automatic updates as soon as they become available. Otherwise, you could be at risk of exploiting attacks, which is the right moment for hackers to take advantage of any security weakness.

And if you don’t know what to do, never be afraid to ask for help! For instance, if your computer is running a bit slower, you received a weirder email, or you just received an offer for incredibly cheap products, ask for a second opinion before clicking on it. Some antivirus programs will offer you a remote access tool, automatically allowing tech support operators to solve your computer issues 24/7.