A tracking pixel It is a small 1×1 image (invisible) that can be attached to emails or present in online advertising and Internet portals. Its goal is to track information and, for example, when you click on a link, the pixel will record it and send the data to a server.
That simple task is useful for perfecting marketing strategies, creating personalized advertising, and can help you better understand what people are searching for on the Internet. However, the pixel can also be used by cybercriminals to steal information from their victims.
Through a tracking pixel, the hacker could track the person’s movements on the Internet, know their location and receive information about the device’s vulnerabilities. This could allow you to access sensitive data such as bank accounts, social media passwords, credit card information…
If you have recently received emails from dubious origin or accessed web pages that are not secure and you want to protect your data against any possible attack carried out with a tracking pixel, in this article you will learn what you should do to protect yourself.
Avoid being a victim of fraud with a tracking pixel
There are several security measures you can take to reduce the impact that a malicious tracking pixel could have, including:
Disable automatic downloading of images in your email
It will be enough to activate this function so that the pixel is not activated through email, in Gmail you must follow these steps:
– Enter the Gmail web platform (not the app), click on the gear-shaped icon located in the upper right corner and select “See all settings”.
– Now, lower the cursor and in the “Images” section, check the “Ask before showing external images” option. By enabling this option, Gmail will always ask you if you want to download the images contained in the email, which will help you easily avoid a tracking pixel sent through the email.
In Outlook
– Enter the Outlook portal and click on the gear-shaped icon in the top menu. Now, in the options panel on the left, choose “Spam Email” and activate the “Security Options” box to block attachments, images and links contained in emails that are not in your address list. safe.
Manage cookies and privacy of the pages you visit
You yourself can manually manage the cookies and the configuration of the portals you enter. All you have to do is click on the configuration button located on the left side of the website URL:
If you select the “Site Settings” option, you will be able to manage the permissions of the page in question. You will be free to activate or deactivate location permissions, use of the computer camera, microphone, and you can even block image playback so that a tracking pixel can run.
Use a VPN
By simply activating a VPN when browsing the Internet, you will prevent your activity on the web from being tracked. Currently, you have a large number of free VPNs at your disposal and many of the best VPNs can be used on your mobile phone and computer. This means you can stay protected on any device.
Use an ad blocker
By activating an ad blocker in your browser, you will keep much of the invasive advertising content circulating on the Internet at bay. Thanks to this, the chances of being a victim of a tracking pixel embedded in an advertisement will decrease considerably.
Also, because you will prevent ad requests from occurring, pages will load faster and you will control the advertising you want to see (you can block it completely).
Currently, you have at your disposal an extensive catalog of Ad Blockers that do an excellent job. Some of the best are uBlock Origin (allows you to watch YouTube with the blocker activated), Adblock, AdGuard, among others.
Use a private browser
There are browsers that prioritize the user’s security and privacy when they are on the Internet. These browsers have the ability to block third-party trackers, all searches you do will be private, they will block tracking ads and cookie pop-ups, as well as email trackers.
On the other hand, browsers of this type can play YouTube videos without targeted ads and will allow you to manage each of your personal data that circulates on the web. In this way, thanks to all these functions you can have greater security against a tracking pixel.
Some of the best private browsers that you can use today are DuckDuckGo, Tor Browser and Brave, since they have all the necessary functions to reduce the number of threats that lie on the Internet.
