Securing Your Devices, Accounts, Email and Data
- Matthew Lindfield Seager
1. Turn on automatic updates
The number one way to keep your laptop, smart phone and other devices secure is to keep them up to date. Apple, Microsoft and Google all invest heavily in security and frequently release security updates. The best way to make sure you are up to date is to turn on automatic updates for your Operating System and apps (as per Australian Cyber Security recommendations).
If your phone or laptop no longer receives security updates, we strongly recommend you upgrade to a newer model that is still supported. It doesn’t have to be expensive or state of the art, many reputable brands will provide security updates for 7 or more years.
Links
2. Use long, unique passwords
Good passwords aren’t necessarily ç0Mp13X (complex), they mainly need to be long and unique. If you re-use a password on more than one service, both accounts are at greater risk. If you use the same password everywhere, you are at significant risk.
Over 80% of cybersecurity incidents involve weak or re-used passwords
The easiest way to use long and unique passwords for every account is with a password manager.
Password Manager Links
Chrome and Android - Use Google Password Manager
Apple ecosystem - Use iCloud Keychain (soon to be renamed Passwords)
More general information - Password Managers - Australian Cyber Security
3. Protect your email account!
Many services will let you reset passwords via email so protect your email account! Review your email account security and learn what to look out for. There are also steps you can take to protect yourself from phishing, malware and account compromise.
4. Protect your data
Don't rely solely on one company for data you care about and can’t easily replace… photos and videos, assignments and sermons, documents and scans, etc.
We recommend a 3-2-1 backup strategy for any data you care about.