Our cyber security checklist for computer users

Have you restarted your computer in the last 7 days? If not please do so as soon as possible. Updates often require a restart to be installed.

Don’t reuse the same or similar passwords across multiple websites and applications.

Only download applications from Google Play™ or the App Store®.

Use a password manager like Last Pass to protect your passwords and check you Security Score and Dark Web monitor.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to log in to any website or application you use, especially for financial or sensitive data.

Never use you work email for personal use.

Don’t click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails or text messages. Doing so may install malware on your device. You can use email banners on your business email accounts for more robust protection that might look like this:

Be cautious about sharing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) over the phone, in email or via text message, especially if you did not initiate the contact.

Limit how much information you share on social media and lock down the privacy settings on your accounts. The information you share online could be exploited by fraudsters.

Only give applications the permissions they really need. Granting an application access to your photos, location, camera, contacts, etc., makes your data and information available to the application owner and can undermine your internet privacy.

Avoid using public Wi-Fi hotspots—like the ones at coffee shops, airports, hotels, etc. Instead, stick to the mobile network and create a personal Wi-Fi hotspot with your phone. If you do use public Wi-Fi, be sure to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) so that others can’t intercept your communications.

Don’t use publicly available charging cords or USB ports with your devices. These can be used to deliver malware onto your device or steal your data. Always be sure to plug your cord directly into the power source.

Create and save bookmarks for the important banking and brokerage websites you visit often to avoid inadvertently entering your credentials on a fraudulent site.