In today’s world, security is of utmost importance for anyone who chooses to store their assets in an online wallet or account. In most cases, it’s an individual’s lack of effective security practices that create the perfect environment for malicious parties to gain unauthorized access to their accounts.
The good news is that enacting sound and solid security practices is very easy and can make a world of difference when it comes to securing your online accounts.
Passwords – the first line of defence
Most, if not all online accounts are protected by a single layer of security, a password. It is one of the older tricks in the book and one we are sure all computer users are familiar with. Although passwords can be quite useful, they aren’t unbeatable, so what can you do to maximize the strength of your password?
A good security practice is to keep your password strong, using a combination of letters, symbols, and numbers in capitals and non-capitals. Avoid using any form of personal information such as names or birthdays in your password and using the same password across multiple websites.
It is also a sound practice to change your password on a semi-regular basis. It can be easy for a hacker to obtain someone’s password, through methods such as unintentionally downloading malicious software from the internet or clicking on links in dubious emails, so it is important to be vigilant when online.
Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (or 2FA for short) provides an extra layer of security in addition to a password. It’s the second wall of protection around your account and makes it very hard for someone to gain unauthorized access to an account.
Mobile apps such as Google’s Authenticator provide users with a dynamic 6-digit PIN code that one must enter upon logging into an account or authorizing activities. A new PIN code is generated roughly every 30 seconds by the authenticator app.
What makes 2FA a strong security asset to your account is that it’s only you has access to the codes, no one else. BTC Markets strongly recommends that users enable 2FA on not only their BTC Markets account but also on their email account (such as Gmail or Outlook Online).
Deleting data
BTC Markets recommends destroying any sensitive or personal information stored within your emails such as your photo and identity documents. It is best security practice to remove information of this kind from both your sent and received inboxes, as hackers could potentially use this information for malicious activities.
Common sense
Using your common scene to judge your activities online is a great way to protect yourself and your accounts.
Common sense will also help guide your choices when looking at and replying to emails that contain unusual attachments or calls from suspicious sources. If things on the internet or over the phone appear to be too good to be true, then they more than likely are.
Internet research
If you’re experiencing a problem or are suspicious about a certain activity on your computer (both on and offline), there is a good chance that someone else has experienced the issue before.
The internet is a great source to research into your activities, such as searching to see if a piece of software or a website is safe.
So the next time you are logging into your BTC Markets account, consider some of these best practices outlined in this article to ensure you are keeping your account safe and secure.