Spring clean your online life
With a few simple steps, you can keep yourself and your family safe online with a declutter of your digital life.
As we head into spring, now is the perfect time to spring clean your online life, to ensure you and your personal information stay safe and secure.
Follow these simple steps to get your online life in shape:
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Clean up your passwords
Chances are you have some old (easy-to-guess) passwords that need to be changed, or you are using the same password for multiple accounts. Creating long, strong and unique passwords for your online accounts is one of the most effective ways you can protect your personal information and keep yourself safe from attackers.
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Get a password manager
If the idea of remembering new passwords seems overwhelming, download a password manager – many are free. Not only do password managers store passwords and suggest strong ones, but the best options alert you if you are using a duplicate or weak password, and prompt you to change it. Using a password manager is a great way to replace old passwords with fresh, strong ones.
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Enable two-factor authentication
Guarding your key accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA) is a quick and easy way to stay safe online. 2FA is a security feature that requires two types of credentials when logging into an account, like a facial scan or a one-time code sent through an app on your device.
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Review privacy and security settings
Make sure your social media privacy settings are switched over to ‘Private’ or ‘Friends only’ – this way, you can control who sees what information you share and who you’re sharing it with. This not only protects you, but also your friends, family and followers from scams. Consider shutting down accounts on any app you don’t use.
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Turn on auto updates on your apps and devices
Updates protect you from any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could let attackers in. When vulnerabilities are identified, the developers quickly change the code to resolve the issue and send it to your device as a software update. Timing is important here – the sooner your system is updated, the more secure you are.
We're here to help
If you, or someone you know has been affected by an incident online, or targeted by a scammer, we’re here to help. Report the incident to CERT NZ and we can help you determine what happened and how you can prevent it from happening again.