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Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe on Discord

Make sure you don’t become one of them by using these ten valuable tips to stay safe on Discord. Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe on Discord.

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Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe on Discord

As with any platform with a large user base nowadays, Discord has attracted its fair share of unsavory individuals. Spambots, cyber attackers, trolls, and others now roam the platform searching for their next victims. Make sure you don’t become one of them by using these ten valuable tips to stay safe on Discord.

1. Watch Out for Spam Links

Spotting scams on Discord has never been easier, as the app always asks whether you’re sure about visiting links on domains you haven’t marked as trusted. Don’t blindly click “Yep!” on just any connection, as that “image” could very well be a phishing domain or malware in disguise. Watch out for “.exe” extensions at the end of links, as that’s a sure sign you’re dealing with a malicious program.

2. Use a VPN

Most online chat programs are plagued by so-called “IP grabbers” – scripts and links that broadcast your IP address to a malicious third party. Unfortunately, Discord is no different in that regard. Now, if you weren’t aware, your IP address reveals sensitive details about your location, including your country, city, and even ZIP code.

You can probably guess that’s not a pleasant experience. If you already feel unsafe online, having some random creeper find out your physical location can only aggravate the feeling. Fortunately, VPNs mask your actual IP and replace it with a new one based on which server you use – keeping your exact location a secret.

Moreover, it will encrypt your network traffic (garble it, basically) to keep you safe from eavesdropping and other cyber attacks. All in all, VPNs are excellent security tools – especially for use on insecure networks, like your local coffee shop’s free Wi-Fi.

3. Check Your Discord Privacy Settings

Discord already has its built-in security settings, so take advantage of those. One of those settings is “Safe Direct Messaging,” which scans your DMs for explicit content and blocks any content deemed unsafe. To find the option, head over to the Settings page and click on “Privacy & Safety.”

We recommend activating the “Keep me safe” setting. Why not the “My friends are nice” option, you ask? Well, you never know when one of them ends up with a compromised account. Let them know about this article, so they never do!

4. Choose Your Friends Wisely

Speaking of which, carefully consider who you add on Discord. Making new friends is cool and all, but unsolicited requests from randos on the Internet aren’t. Fortunately, you can prevent strangers from adding you by toggling off all the switches under “Who can add you as a friend” in your privacy settings. Leave the “Friends of Friends” option on if you trust your buddies’ choice of friends. It’s as easy as that.

5. Turn Off Messages from Strangers

Consider disabling the “Allow direct messages from server members” setting as well, especially if you don’t know everyone in the servers you hang around. Disabling messages from server members will also prevent rogue bots from spamming you with malicious links.

If someone needs to message you in private, you can always add them as friends (provided you trust them).

Turn Off Messages from Strangers

6. Make Good Use of That Block Button

Somebody being an annoyance or making you feel unsafe on a public Discord? Click their username and then “Block” to prevent them from DM-ing you and hide their messages. Mobile users need to hold tap their username and then tap on the three dots to the right of the screen to access the “Block” button.

It’s not the best block function out there since you still see irritating “x blocked messages” notifications on public chats. Unfortunately, despite literally thousands of threads on the topic, Discord has yet to implement a way to hide those notifications.

7. Never Share Personal Info Publicly

Unless you know a person on Discord in real life, try not to reveal any personal details about yourself, such as:

  • Your real name
  • Your real-life address
  • Emails and phone numbers
  • Social media accounts (don’t connect your Steam, Twitter, Twitch, and other socials that might contain info others could use to identify you)

Sure, the main point to socializing is getting to know the people you talk with. However, that’s also a surefire way to get “doxxed” nowadays, especially if you share your private info on a public server.

8. Use a Throwaway Email for Your Account

If your Discord account somehow gets compromised, you don’t want the cyber attacker to access your primary email. They can use it to send you spam and further phishing emails, leading to some significant damage. ProtonMail and Tutanota are a couple of decent, free encrypted email providers you can use to create a Discord account.

Keep the following in mind, though. Even if you use a throwaway email and hackers can’t get much out of it, they still have all your chat history at their fingertips. If you’ve unknowingly shared any personal info anywhere, cybercriminals and bullies could use it to their advantage.

9. Create a Strong Password

Ideally, you don’t want hackers to get a hold of your account at all. Aside from staying vigilant against phishing scams, you’ll want to use a strong password on Discord. Alternate uppercase and lowercase letters and use a lot of memorable characters (e.g., %, ! #, @, ^) to make it harder to crack.

10. Use Two-Factor Authentication

Discord supports a wide variety of two-factor authentication methods (or 2FA, for short):

  • Google Authenticator
  • Author
  • QR scanning using either of the methods above

This joins an extra layer of security in case someone gets ahold of your login details. Even basic SMS authentication is better than nothing. Preferably you’d only use it as a backup method if you lost access to your authenticator app or didn’t download your backup codes as instructed.

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Security

Key Elements of an Effective Data Security Platform

In the following few sections, you will gain insights into why a security fabric is essential, what to look for in such a platform, and how to choose the right one for your business.

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Enhanced Data Security

As network security issues intensify, data breaches occur more frequently and with increasing sophistication. This is where data security becomes significant. Data security refers to the protective measures implemented to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It involves a set of protocols and methods to protect data from intended or unintended destruction, alteration, or disclosure.

Data security includes techniques like encryption, tokenization, and critical management practices that protect data across all applications and platforms. This concept isn’t just about securing your data but also about knowing where it is, how it’s stored, who has access to it, and how to recover it in case of a data breach.

In the following few sections, you will gain insights into why a security fabric is essential, what to look for in such a platform, and how to choose the right one for your business.

1. Why is a Data Security Platform Important?

Around 5.9 billion profiles were victims of data infringement last year, highlighting the escalating incidence of data breaches. This highlights the critical need for strong data protection measures.

A reliable data security platform safeguards all types of data within your organization, minimizing the risk of breaches. Complying with data privacy regulations ensures your organization remains legally compliant.

Furthermore, a data security platform provides valuable insights into your data’s lifecycle, enabling effective management and timely detection of any unusual activity or breach. By doing so, it minimizes potential damages.

In addition to protection and management, a data security platform automates tasks and streamlines data management processes. It delivers real-time alerts for potential threats, ensuring a swift response and mitigation. Moreover, it simplifies compliance management, reducing the risk of penalties due to non-compliance.

2. What to Look for in a Data Security Platform

When finding the right data security platform, the first thing to consider is broad platform coverage. A data security platform should be able to secure data across all environments—on-premises, cloud, or hybrid. It should also support operating systems, databases, applications, and devices. Broad platform coverage ensures that no part of your environment is left unprotected, reducing the risk of breaches.

The next key element is the platform’s ability to protect all data types. This means securing structured data (like database records) and unstructured data (like emails, documents, and multimedia files). The platform should be capable of securing data at rest (stored data), data in use (being processed), and data in transit (being transported over a network).

Another significant aspect is the platform’s compatibility with your existing IT infrastructure. The platform should integrate seamlessly with your built-in capabilities, enhancing rather than replacing them. It should support your current applications and systems, reducing the need for extensive modifications or additions.

CYBER SECURITY Business technology Antivirus Alert Protection Security and Cyber Security Firewall Cybersecurity and information technology

A data security platform should also offer single-pane-of-glass management. This means it should provide a unified view of your data landscape from a single central console. Single-pane-of-glass management simplifies managing and monitoring your data, making detecting and responding to potential threats easier. It essentially streamlines data security by consolidating all necessary information on one accessible platform.

When choosing the right data security platform for your business, consider the following points:

Assess your data security needs. Understand what types of data you handle, where it’s stored, who has access to it, and what potential risks it faces.

Examine the platform’s ease of use: Assess whether the platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It should enable your team to implement and manage security controls effectively without requiring extensive technical know-how.

Consider the platform’s adaptability. With the rapidly evolving landscape of cyber threats, choosing a platform that can adapt to new challenges is crucial. Check if the platform is frequently updated to tackle the latest security threats and if it can be customized to fit your specific security needs.

Review the vendor’s after-sale services: A good vendor doesn’t just disappear after the sale. They should provide continuous support, upgrades, and regular maintenance to ensure the platform is effective against evolving threats.

Evaluate data recovery capabilities: The platform should have robust data recovery capabilities in case of a data breach or loss. It’s essential to ensure that the platform can help you restore lost data and minimize downtime, thus mitigating the impact of any security incident.

Consider the platform’s integration capabilities: Your chosen data security solution should integrate seamlessly with your existing systems and applications. This will reduce inefficiencies, prevent gaps in security coverage, and allow for a more holistic approach to data protection.

Reflect on the platform’s compliance features: Depending on your industry, you may need to comply with certain data protection regulations. Ensure the platform supports these compliance requirements, including features for audit trails, data encryption, and user access control.

Analyze the return on investment: While cost is a factor, it’s also essential to consider the potential return on investment. This includes evaluating the potential cost savings from avoiding data breaches, fines for non-compliance, and loss of customer trust if sensitive data is compromised

In summary, the need for a data security platform is a must in today’s digital age. It is a barrier against threats, secures sensitive data, and ensures adherence to privacy regulations. With its wide array of features like encryption and access control, it is an invaluable tool for safeguarding different data types. A comprehensive view of the security landscape is achieved when data from diverse sources is integrated, allowing for effective risk identification and mitigation

When choosing a data security platform, finding one that can protect your digital data at all stages of its life and stand firm against cyberattacks is crucial. Solid encryption and data masking features are also important. With increasing data volumes, complex computing environments, and high-stakes risks of data breaches, a robust data security platform is a must.

By adopting a comprehensive data protection solution, businesses can fortify security measures and enhance operational efficiency. Integrating such a platform is a strategic move that offers the dual benefits of security and efficiency.

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