7 Rules Of Digital Hygiene For Which You Say Thank You

1. Set complex passwords and change them regularly

The longer and harder the password, the harder it will be to crack. The best option is a large combination of random letters, numbers, and symbols. In no case do not use the names of children and relatives, birthdays and other personal data that are easy to find on social networks.

But no matter how complex your password may be, do not forget to change it at least once every six months. And do not be tempted to reuse any of the old ones. The longer one password is used, the higher the likelihood that it will fall into the hands of hackers or be compromised. Also, do not use the same combination on different sites. Then, if an account is hacked on any forum, attackers will not be able to get into your account in online banks.

In order not to get confused with a lot of combinations, use a password manager, for example, LastPass or 1Password. They store all your codes and automatically enter them on the sites, and you only need to remember one master password.

2. Back up data

Ransomware is spreading more and more every day. They block the device and threaten to delete all data from it if you do not pay the ransom. Such viruses can get to your computer or smartphone if you follow the link in a phishing email or click on a fake advertising banner.

Be especially careful when surfing the Internet and be sure to back up important files.

It can be automated. There are special paid services like Carbonite, which regularly copy and save your data. On Mac and Windows, it is also possible to back up to external media. On macOS, this feature is called Time Machine.

In Windows 10, a similar tool is in the “Update and Security” settings, and in Windows 7 in the “System and its maintenance”. Make sure that after copying the data you disconnected the external media, then in case of infection the files on it will definitely remain intact.

3. Do not share too personal information on social networks

Firstly, it is a gold mine for various scammers - primarily for identity abductors. They collect user personal data in order to access their finances. Secondly, data leaks often occur, so even information that is invisible to other users is at risk.

Therefore, minimize the amount of data that you share on different media platforms.

Do not publicly disclose your date of birth, do not provide your address, location, and contacts. Disable geotags in photos. Although such data themselves seem harmless, with their help, criminals can learn a lot about you.

4. Regularly check the history of financial transactions.

Fraudsters use stolen information to quickly withdraw money from your account or take a loan on your behalf. Therefore, be sure to see card statements, especially credit cards. And once a year, ask for your credit history to check if other people's loans are open in your name.

If possible, configure two-factor authentication in the banking application. Then at the entrance, you will need to enter not only the password but also the code from SMS or push notifications. This method is safer than regular application activation.

5. Periodically unsubscribe from excess

People now often change one service to another, as a result, they accumulate a lot of unnecessary mailings and subscriptions. If the former simply litter the mailbox, then the latter may cost money. Remember what you’ve recently stopped using, and check to see if you’ve been set up to charge automatically.

Do not save credit card information on sites and applications. Especially where there is a trial period after which users will be paid. There is always a chance that you will abandon the service in a couple of days, and the money will continue to be debited automatically.

6. Keep track of which fingerprint you leave

Browsers and search engines store user data: they record your location, requests, settings. Cellular operators also do this: they store a list of dialed numbers and text messages. Apple and Google collect information about how you use their devices: which applications you install, what you are looking for.

And all this is completely legal because you have consented to the processing of personal data and clicked on the appropriate button.

You cannot completely protect yourself from this, but you can limit the amount of data collected about you. Check your device’s settings. Disable access to your location for those applications that essentially do not need it. Opt out of personalized ads (for Google, for Apple). Turn off location history on Google Maps to prevent information from being sent to the company.

7. Update software regularly

The updated versions fix bugs that hackers could take advantage of for their own purposes. Therefore, the older your version of the operating system, the program or browser is, the more vulnerable you are. Turn on auto-update in order not to forget about updates. Uninstall programs and applications that you have stopped using or that are no longer supported by developers.

Do not forget about the router and all kinds of smart devices: they also need regular updates. Check the information on the manufacturer’s website and follow the instructions.