Security awareness doesn’t have to be complex or difficult. Usually common sense and a bit of focus will protect you in most cases. Here are some ideas for new online security best practices for your everyday lives.

I will be a leader.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That’s why it’s important for the strongest links to lead by example—improving the overall strength of the chain! You can be that person in both your professional and personal life by using common sense, reporting incidents, and spreading awareness.

I will clamp down on social media.

How many friends and followers do you add over the course of the year? When was the last time you checked your social media privacy settings? Who can see all of those vacation photos and selfies you take with the cat? Spend a day cleaning up your accounts! It’s best to set strict privacy settings to only people you really know.

I will upgrade my password practices.

You should know that, at an absolute minimum, your passwords should be long, strong, and unique for EVERY account. Upgrade your password practices. Longer is better! Make it into a sentence with spaces and punctuation. Where possible enable two factor authentication, and utilize a password manager (software that creates, stores, and syncs all of your logins).

I will secure my devices.

Your phones and tablets require the same level of security awareness as your computers. From a strong passcode on your lock screen to backing up data, treat your mobile devices like you do desktops and laptops.

I will take control of my PII.

Your PII (Personally Identifiable Information) should be treated like financial information and passwords. That is, it should be kept private! Mind where you store your PII and only share the minimum necessary.

I will stay informed.

To put it simply and perhaps obviously, a big part of online security best practices is being aware. Don’t ignore headlines about major data breaches. Research them and learn from the mistakes that were made. Register for email updates about security. If there’s a new phishing attack making the rounds, you’ll be prepared. Stay in the know!

I will clean up my digital life.

Our phones, tablets, and computers tend to collect “digital dust.” From old files to unused programs, it’s important to clean up our digital lives. Once you’ve organized files and apps, make an effort to keep things clean on an ongoing basis!

Aaron Robel, VP of Information Technology