3 Simple Ways to Increase Cybersecurity
Every week, someone on social media shares that they’ve been hacked. Everyday, I watch students and clients fumble with their passwords.
While I’m not an expert on cybersecurity, here are three simple ways you can reduce your risk of bad actors infiltrating your digital world!
1. Set Custom Passwords
While it may be convenient to use the same password for multiple devices and platforms, imagine that a hacker cracks the code. Diversify your passwords to create more security!
Avoid the urge to store your passwords in a spreadsheet or notepad. While it may be convenient to have all of your passwords in one place, what happens in the event of loss or theft? Commit to moving your passwords away from a spreadsheet or notepad and into a more secure place.
2. Create a Digital Ring of Keys
The hardest part of the modern digital life is remembering all of your passwords! If you imagine a digital ring of keys, you don’t have to remember each password—only know which key (or password) you’re looking for.
While Apple and Google have helped by allowing your devices and browsers to store passwords, the time will come that you need to share your password with someone: perhaps for an Instagram takeover or when working with a website designer.
Set yourself up now with a password manager. Not only are all of your passwords saved in one secure place, it also makes it easy to share passwords as your business grows. Here are a few options:
3. Set Up Digital Deadbolts
When you lock your door at night, do you also lock a deadbolt? Consider the same digitally.
While a slight inconvenience to get text codes or answer additional security questions, this could be the difference of someone getting into your online banking, email, Facebook, etc.
For most platforms, your browser and location help authenticate access… so this is really to ensure that hackers on other devices and different parts of the world run into a locked door.
Take Action:
1. Determine which password manager you will use, and set up an account. We prefer LastPass.
2. Commit to setting custom, secure passwords and saving them in your NEW password manager.
3. Turn on two-factor authentication to protect yourself even further.
