Cyber security spring cleaning: Three tips for protecting yourself

May 4, 2020

Ah, spring. A time for rejuvenation, hope, warmth and…spring cleaning.

But you can do some spring cleaning on more than just your house. Here are three ways you can clean up your cyber habits to protect yourself against cyber criminals.

"speech bubbles and worried emojis with the number 3"Sweep away your bad passwords

How is a bad password for one of your accounts like a giant stack of dirty dishes hanging out on your kitchen counter? It’s likely to attract unwanted visitors.

While bad passwords won’t attract ants, they can leave you vulnerable to cyber criminals who are looking to steal information (and potentially money).

That’s why spring is the perfect time to replace weak passwords with stronger passphrases or passwords.

Looking for tips on how to create a strong passphrase or password?

Get Cyber Safe strongly recommends using a passphrase to keep your account secure.

Polish up your account security with multi-factor authentication

Sometimes it’s not enough to just sweep up a floor. You also need to add a little polish to make it look extra clean.

Multiple cleaning options can help you make your house a little tidier, and multiple authentication options help keep you more cyber secure.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the best tools available for protecting your devices and accounts.

For example, if you use MFA on your accounts, cyber criminals will need more than just a password to access it.

MFA gives you an added layer of security for your account.

Dust off your system with updates

We all see things around the house that we wish were a little cleaner, like a dusty baseboard or a cobweb in the corner.

When we do spring cleaning, we usually pay attention to all the nooks and crannies.

The same goes for tidying up your cyber security.

When software update notifications pop up on your computer, phone, or devices, you might ignore them.

The problem with ignoring these notifications is you’re making your devices less secure and vulnerable to cyber threats. Software updates improve the security features of operating systems and applications.

This spring, take some time to run those updates, even if it means taking some time out of your schedule.

Conclusion

Spring is an ideal time to clean up your cyber security. Follow these steps to ensure you’re well-protected.

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