Developing good habits in life is the key to strong physical and mental health. Research shows that people who regularly eat healthy foods and exercise are generally happier. A commitment to those habits (and many others) can be challenging, but it’s a fundamental part of living a fulfilling life. Similarly, you can take actions that contribute to the health of your digital well-being. By making a commitment to the following security habits, you can avoid the many scams and downsides of living in a connected world.

Remain dedicated to strong passwords.
Protecting your online accounts is one of the most important aspects of personal security. As you can probably guess, strong passwords represent the first step to keeping those accounts safe. Reminder: A strong password is long, hard for others to guess but easy for you to remember, and never used twice.

Think before you click.
Phishing is any attempt to lure people into making a bad decision — like clicking on a malicious link or paying a fraudulent invoice — and it is one of the top concerns. Stay alert for common warning signs of those scams, such as threatening messages, unexpected attachments, and urgent requests.

Avoid oversharing on social media.
Scammers often search social media profiles in hopes of finding valuable information. They will then use that information to launch phishing attacks designed to steal money or even more confidential information. Avoid it by setting your social profiles to private and being selective about what you post.

Stay updated.
Outdated devices and software are easy targets for cybercriminals and place confidential information at risk. That’s why developers often release updates, especially for operating systems of computers and smartphones. Enable automatic updates wherever they’re available so you never miss a crucial patch.

Practice good mobile hygiene.
Smartphones have access to an abundance of personal data and are top targets for cybercriminals. As such, it’s crucial to maintain proper mobile hygiene. That means only installing apps from trusted sources, limiting the permissions of those apps (such as access to contacts and location), and removing apps you no longer need.

Article retrieved from Healthy Security Habits by The Security Awareness Company – KnowBe4, Inc. (2024)