Have you ever stopped and thought about all the aspects of your life that now require you to type your password? Starting from your bank account, personal information stored by social media sites, email accounts, work-related services – the list goes on.

How much time did you invest in ensuring that all these services are actually safe for you? The reality is that most people do not care too much about their safety online – either due to a lack of time, a false sense of security, or an unwillingness to acknowledge that something can happen to them.

However, let us put these notions aside and consider ways of improving your online safety instantly. Most people believe that in order to secure your accounts, passwords, etc., you have to be an expert in computer science.

However, most effective cyberattacks are carried out simply due to the fact that the victims ignore basic recommendations and tips, so following the same advice will ensure a decent level of cybersecurity.

Moreover, in this article, we will provide some actionable measures that you can follow right away and that are mostly free.

Use Password Manager as Your Friend

It is a simple yet efficient measure that will help you stay safe from all possible hacks related to your password usage. Once a website where you registered years ago has been hacked, it is very likely that your credentials have become available to cybercriminals who will then try them on other services (email account, bank account, and other resources). This type of attack is called credential stuffing. In this situation, you need to ensure that your credentials are strong enough, which can be done with the help of a password manager.

A password manager creates a unique and strong password for every website and stores it for you in an encrypted form, meaning that you only need to remember a single password (master password). These applications exist at almost any price, including free ones, so you should choose the one that fits you best. Moreover, most browsers include password managers that perform even better than manually changing passwords on 20 websites.

Another interesting option is passkeys. They are relatively new, but nowadays, almost all websites and applications have implemented them. With the help of this function, instead of entering a password, you just tap on a button and use your fingerprint or device password (PIN) in order to authorize yourself. This means that your credentials will not be stolen in case a site you have registered with has been hacked.

Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

As you probably have already noticed, the term above stands for Two-Factor Authentication (or 2FA), which means an additional authentication factor. If someone manages to get access to your email account and password, they will not be able to log into your account if you have enabled this feature. It works in different ways, but the easiest one is a one-time password that you receive via your phone.

Please note that this additional factor does not depend on its source, so SMS might not be considered the safest option since an attacker could convince the phone operator to forward it to another phone. However, a code generated by an application is significantly more reliable. For the accounts containing your confidential information, a security key is recommended, as it is the safest way to proceed for consumers.

When enabling this function, start with the following accounts (which might be attacked most frequently):

• Your primary email account, as it gives an opportunity to change passwords on almost all other websites,
• Applications associated with your bank account(s), investments, etc. In case an attacker succeeds in getting into your account, the amount of money they can steal will be huge,
• Accounts related to your major social networks, as attackers usually try to impersonate your friends/family members.

All of these accounts are usually marked with a lock symbol next to them and have a specific menu section titled “2FA” or “Login Approvals.”

Keep Everything Updated – Your Best Bet

Software updates seem boring, so many people postpone them or forget about them altogether. However, the problem with updates is that they are necessary to protect your system from malicious software. Hackers try to analyze any released patch, identify its vulnerabilities, and launch an attack targeting unpatched computers. An outdated system becomes quite vulnerable and may become a victim of cybercrimes.

To make things worse, most people forget about updating the software running on their smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices (smart TVs, smart watches, etc.). Therefore, one of your priorities should be enabling auto-updates for your operating systems, applications, web browsers, etc. Furthermore, do not forget about other devices that you might ignore regularly, such as your Wi-Fi router, smart watch, etc. The last device should not be underestimated, as if it is outdated, it will not receive patches anymore, thus increasing the chances of cyberattacks. Such devices require immediate replacement.

Do not fall for Phishing

There are some things that cannot be fixed using software alone. For example, if an attacker is interested in you, they might try to contact you using any means. Usually, they try to trick victims with different types of phishing messages, which are becoming increasingly believable due to the fact that modern AI technologies allow creating such messages in seconds. Therefore, it is crucial for you to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments, as well as providing any credentials to such people.

First, it is important to pay attention to the sender’s identity and the nature of a message. For example, the email starts with a threat that states your account will be deleted unless you confirm something. Or the message asks you to confirm whether or not the sender is your relative. If you do not know such a person or something seems to be suspicious to you, do not fall for it. Instead of clicking the link, visit the website manually.

Moreover, try to calm down when receiving such messages. As mentioned before, such messages try to create unnecessary panic in order to distract the user and make him/her act irresponsibly.

Be Smart on Public Wi-Fi

Accessing the internet from any location using public Wi-Fi sounds quite convenient. However, it is crucial to bear in mind that such networks may be used not only by ordinary customers but also by people who want to intercept traffic and collect any available information. Therefore, before connecting to an unfamiliar network, make sure that its name matches the one stated by the provider. Nowadays, most websites have an SSL certificate that protects any traffic coming from this website, but it is not the case with an insecure network.

Therefore, in order to protect yourself, try not to log into your banking accounts using public Wi-Fi. Besides, disable the auto-connection feature, which connects your device to an available network automatically.

One more piece of advice: a paid service called Virtual Private Network (VPN) will protect you from all possible risks while staying anonymous on public Wi-Fi networks. In addition, many providers offer a free tier, so if you travel abroad frequently, this measure will definitely be helpful for you. If you want to dive deeper, read more about how VPNs can keep your data safe on public Wi-Fi.

Clean Your Accounts List

This recommendation looks a bit odd; however, having multiple unused accounts may pose certain risks in case an attacker gains access to your data. Every time you have registered for some service and decided not to continue your activity, your account still stores your credentials and may be accessed by hackers. Therefore, it is necessary to clean up a bit: log into the sites that you stopped visiting, remove all unused accounts, delete unnecessary data, and update your credentials.

Furthermore, you should check privacy settings on remaining accounts as well as all third-party applications connected to them. If something seems suspicious to you, remove the link between your account and the application in question. At last, check whether your email is mentioned somewhere online: there are plenty of resources that will notify you if someone has tried to hack any website where you have created an account.

Back Up Critical Data

Sometimes, people become victims not because of hackers but because their laptop was stolen. In such a situation, losing all personal information is the least desirable scenario, as this information is essential for your daily routine. Therefore, it is crucial to store copies of critical files in a safe place. You can either store them in the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex.Disk, etc.) or save them locally to a flash drive. Automatic backups will be helpful in case of theft or any similar incidents.

Make Your Computer Safe Starting Today

These pieces of advice require no particular knowledge or skills. In addition, they cost nothing and are relatively quick and easy to implement. In order to conclude, let us emphasize that you do not need to be perfect and create a fully protected system, but rather follow all tips in order to reduce the chances of cyberattacks.