How to protect your online privacy while streaming?
DDoS attacks and data theft are becoming one of the leading concerns of streamers. Since the pandemic caused the surge in the streaming industry, the online privacy affair has become more severe. Several instances come to light of hacking and data leakage while streaming in 2020. Many streamers worked smartly and quickly opted for best streaming VPNs for online security before shit hitting the fan.
Well, even after using the VPN for data encryption, we need to consider a human error. Either it’s Pew Die Pie accidentally leaking his email address or WingsofRedemption exposing his phone number while streaming, the mistake happens, and sometimes the price could be much higher.
Besides streamers’ mistakes, there is always a threat of hacking and malware attack that is much fierce. In order to stream online without keeping privacy at stake, we must take some precautionary measures to avoid any online threat.
Use Pseudonym Profiles
Keep your name, email address, and profiles hidden when streaming online. Data theft is one of the primary concerns of cyberattack victims. The smart way of dodging it is by avoiding giving any real personal information and using a pseudonym. Even better, use a different email address without providing any of your personal information to access different streaming websites where there is a cyber-attack threat.
Encrypt Online Data
Cyber surveillance is real and horrifying. Just to have the option of anonymous online surfing is a blessing in this era. Being the advocate of online privacy, I urge all the streamers to get a proxy server or a premium VPN service with advanced encryption standards that allow you to stream online anonymously and keep your personal information classified. Only a few premium VPN providers are able to offer the advanced encryption standard. Therefore, do not be a scrooge here to opt for free VPN services, as they are useless in providing any sort of online privacy.
Hide/Alter Your IP Address
Shroud, famous Canadian streamers, have to pay the price of revealing his IP address in a CS Go game with a DDoS attack. This incident shows how a minor mistake of a few seconds can lead to a cyber-attack. Therefore, be very curious and never ever reveal your real IP address. Even better, alter your IP address by using a Smart DNS or VPN to keep yourself safe from any sort of cyberattack.
Have Strong Security Protocols
A strong password is the first safety shield of online privacy. Many online streamers make the mistake of re-using the same credentials for different services (i.e., using the same passwords and security questions). In this case, if one website is breached, then your complete online privacy is compromised.
Use unique passwords for each account and get the assistance of a password manager to update your credentials frequently. Furthermore, use a couple of authentication factors such as security code on email or mobile for extra protection.
Frequently Clean Cookies and Cache
Caches are the biggest spy of your online activities. The saved cookies in your browser could easily become the biggest instigator in revealing your personal information, family information, home address, and other valuable information.
Make sure to take a few seconds every day to delete the cookies and cache at the end of your activities to keep yourself secure from the data breaches. Just click CTRL+Shift+DEL within your browser before shutting down to clear all the cookies and cache.
Avoid Click Baits
Be aware of whatever you click online. Since most online streamers can identify fishy clickbait, the criminals are now using the click baits very smartly to embed malware in your device. Nowadays, click baits not only consists of flashy images or catchy headlines; they could come as a link in email or as a post on social media apps.
Many hackers use these links to get the user’s credentials or use malware to infect the device. So, make sure to always check the source when someone is asking about billing info on email and avoiding clicking on a post or link from an unknown source.
Hide Any Personal Item from Background
Be extra careful in live streaming about what you are sharing on-screen and in the background. Anything on your camera could reveal some personal information such as utility bills or any famous trademark that could encourage any psychotic fan to start stalking you. Make sure to create a personalized background or use a green screen to leave no window for error.
Final Thoughts:
The online streaming industry is booming but with the threat of cyberattack. Online privacy and security should be of supreme significance for streamers. The multiple cases of identity theft, data breach, and DDoS attacks are signaling towards a vulnerable state of the online streaming industry. Nonetheless, there are some effective precautionary measures that should become SOPs of online streaming to prevent these cyber threats. Just try to keep your online identity as unknown as possible with the precautions mentioned above and do streaming fearlessly.
