While having access to our entire lives online is incredibly convenient, it also comes with an inherent risk. All it takes is one weak or stolen password to put your identity, your finances, even your reputation, in the hands of criminals.
In fact, millions of us may be at greater risk than we realize. Something as simple as sharing a streaming password with friends, for instance, could allow access to personal information, especially if your friends aren’t as careful with your password as you are.
That’s why it’s essential to practice good cyber hygiene, which is not complicated.
Making cybersecurity a priority with sensible habits like strong passwords, Multifactor Authentication and regularly updating your devices can help protect you and your data on all your devices.
Remember to stay safe by practicing good cyber hygiene, whether you’re online or not.
Practicing good cyber hygiene in 5 easy steps
- Swap passwords for passphrases: A passphrase is a sentence or a string of unrelated words and characters that is easy for you to remember, but impossible for criminals to crack versus a password. Using a unique passphrase for each account offers even greater security.
- Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA): Beyond just a password or passphrase, MFA (Multifactor Authentication) is a double lock for your password. It adds a second layer which could include a randomly generated code, a fingerprint or face scan.
- Regularly update all your devices: Software updates often patch security risks that could give criminals access to the data on your device. Installing the latest updates on time, every time, helps keep your device as secure as possible.
- Consider using a password manager: Not only will a password manager store all your passwords and keep them secure, but it can also identify weak passwords and generate stronger ones. Best of all, you only need to remember the password for the password manager.
- Be careful when you go online: Protecting your online data starts with exercising caution. Don’t click on or download anything you are unsure about. Trust your intuition to recognize a shady site when you see one and stick to well-known ones. Back up your data. And avoid using public Wi-Fi, which could be compromised.
Showing you how to keep your devices secure is another way Credit Union ONE is helping to protect you, your data, and your finances.