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Top 5 Cybersecurity Basics
Cybersecurity is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The tools to protect you will vary depending on who your attacker is. In most cases, you will have to sacrifice some convenience in order to have better privacy & security. This list focuses on steps you can take that are not too inconvenient. They will protect you from some attackers and not others. Consider this list a foundation that you can build upon.
Password managers are standalone apps or browser extensions that will remember your passwords for you in an encrypted vault that you open with a single master password. We recommend LastPass.
Two factor authentication comes in many forms, the easiest are text messages or authenticator apps you can run on your phone. Good password practices can help reduce the chances of important accounts being hacked, but for really critical accounts, using a second authentication factor means that even if your password is somehow compromised, attackers cannot log into your account without also hacking your phone. Critical accounts probably include your banking or credit card websites and your primary email account (whichever one you would use for most of your password reset options on other websites).
- Signal - Encrypted chat / SMS.
- WhatsApp - Also encrypted chat / SMS. Owned by Facebook but still widely trusted.
- Protonmail - An email provider that will encrypt messages for you when you email other people who are on Protonmail.
Malware such as viruses or spyware can make your computer or phone sluggish and unusable, and they can also be used to harvest information about you. While some infections are targeted to organizations or individuals, most of the time no one is after you personally, they just released their virus into the wild and you caught it. The most damaging infections typically make use of what are called "known vulnerabilities" in your operating system or browser. These vulnerabilities are bugs or loopholes that can be used to control aspects of your machine. These holes get fixed regularly by software updates, which is why it's important to keep your operating system, browser, or other major applications up to date. Software which is no longer being updated by the company that maintains it (like Windows XP) will eventually have several publicly known holes and can be very unsafe to run. Most operating systems and browsers will prompt you to update them when updates are available. Take the time to run these updates regularly.
If a determined person on the internet wants to harm you, your biggest worry should be any personal data currently available on the internet. Unfortunately, most online services collect data about you, and many sell it to data brokers who are mainly serving the online advertising industry. This data can include your full name, address, and can be used to track or intimidate you. Cleaning up your personal data on the internet is an ongoing process, but this guide can help you get started.