Everyday user without cyber protection open to data theft

Staying safe online is becoming an increasingly relevant issue, with 30,000 websites being hacked per day, according to Sophos Labs. Even large and secure companies experience data breaches; so an everyday user without any cyber protection - such as VPN (Virtual Private Network) - is open to data theft. NordVPN has outlined basic rules an Internet user should be aware of to stay safe online. They are: the first thing a user should see during any online transaction is whether the payment gateway has an https URL; avoid public Wi-Fi networks as they are hunting grounds for attackers and data snoopers who try to access personal information of users for their benefit; whenever a website requests for more information than is usually required, like one's social service number or any other personal information, it usually spells fraud; VPNs encrypt all the data one shares across the Internet on any website, and are the best mechanism to make sure data shared remain confidential; weak passwords make it simple for hackers to break into accounts; one should stick to app stores as well as known third-party providers while downloading any apps.