Good Cyber Hygiene Practices Everyone Should Have

Matt Davis

June 23, 2020

It’s always important to look for ways to bolster your cybersecurity. These days, things as seemingly insignificant as your address can reveal a lot about you. Alarmingly, hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated with how they operate. In fact, Forbes reports that 267 million Facebook user profiles were recently exposed by hackers, so that means it is really important that you are much more proactive with cybersecurity moving forward.

That’s why it’s crucial for everyone to practice good cyber hygiene. As with daily hygiene practices like brushing your teeth or showering, you should also take the necessary steps to secure your data. So, we’ve listed some of the best cybersecurity practices to take into account to protect you from cyber threats.

Always remember to update

Devices, applications, and operating systems aren’t a one-and-done kind of thing. For one, hackers are constantly studying how to access your information, so it’s important to update your software whenever one is available. They do this by exposing the outdated encryption used by outdated apps and software. But more than that, Technobezz notes that updating allows you to access new features, boost your devices’ performance, and address any bugs that your device might be experiencing. One way to make updating easier is by turning on the automatic updates setting on your phone and computer.

Take extra precautions with downloading and sharing files

These days, it’s very common to see people sharing files through cloud storage and email. However, you should exercise the utmost caution before you open email attachments or download files from a public cloud. Phishing scams and compromised data are some of the most common cybersecurity issues that you might face by not checking out what you’re downloading.

The reverse, of course, is also true. When sending out files and projects, it’s important to make sure you are sending them to the right people with the right level of access permission. The file transfer features mentioned on Box highlights the importance of qualities like link expiration and download restrictions, so that you have full control over who gains access to your precious data, as well as how and when. Be sure to thoroughly check if a file is safe to download, and make sure that it only comes from official sources.

Strengthen your passwords

While it might be easier to just keep one password for all of your accounts, this unhygienic cyber practice jeopardizes your data ⁠— and even your money. Almost all financial accounts can now be tracked via mobile apps and our browsers, so once a hacker gets a hold of your password, it’ll be easy for them to empty out your virtual wallet. That’s why it’s important to bolster your password security, any way you can.

Our very own Ule Lopez suggests limiting passwords exclusively to one account and enabling two-factor authentication to solidify the security of your passwords. And if you’re not one to write down all your passwords physically to protect your online accounts, having a reliable password manager can make things easier for you by suggesting extremely secure passwords and stores your passwords in a secure vault.

Employ a reputable VPN service

One of the best cyber hygiene practices that you should employ is by subscribing to a reputable VPN service. TechRadar highlights that using a VPN bolsters cybersecurity by keeping your online footprint anonymous and encrypts the data you send and receive. This is especially important if you’re using a public Wi-Fi network where security is uncertain. But other than that, having a VPN also has other significant benefits like mitigating network throttle ⁠— letting you browse the web with only minimal interruptions.