Online Security For Beginners – 22nd Edition 2025

Internet Safety Without the Jargon 🔒

Online Security For Beginners is a full-colour, step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to use the web with more confidence. The 22nd edition (2025) runs to 96 pages and starts with the threats people actually encounter — from hackers and social engineering to ransomware, phishing, and the quieter risks that arrive through everyday browsing.

From Threats to Practical Defences 🛡️

The opening sections explain ten types of security risk, how hackers work, what makes ransomware effective, and how to recognise phishing, vishing, and smishing. From there, the guide shifts to protection: Windows 10 security, updates, browser settings, home networks, wireless security standards, encryption, and VPNs. The aim is not to frighten readers but to show which settings, tools, and habits make a practical difference.

Step-by-Step Tutorials for Everyday Devices 💻

Later chapters deal with the services and devices most people use daily. There are walkthroughs for securing a Windows 10 laptop, creating and managing stronger passwords, choosing a password manager, protecting Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp accounts, shopping online more safely, and removing a virus or malware from a Windows PC. The book also includes round-ups and reviews of antivirus and security packages, encryption tools, and VPNs, so readers can compare common options.

Who This Guide Is For

With its beginner-focused title and visual tutorial format, the guide is written for home users, parents, and anyone who wants a clear reference for protecting personal data, money, and children online. No prior technical knowledge is assumed. A glossary at the back helps with unfamiliar terms, making it easy to dip in, find a topic, and return to the sections that matter most.

A Practical Reference for a Changing Landscape

Online security advice dates quickly, but the fundamentals — updating software, using strong passwords, recognising manipulation, and controlling what you share — remain central. This edition collects those fundamentals into one accessible volume, making it a useful shelf reference for readers who prefer plain explanations over dense technical manuals.