Keep your personal information secure with these cybersecurity tips

Can you remember the last time you updated your computer, passwords or backed up your work? It may be tough to keep track of all the latest cybersecurity practices, but UK Information Technology Services (UK ITS) has put together the latest tips to keep you and your data secure. Spending a little time making sure your personal data is safe can save you headaches, and even money, in the long run.  

UK ITS has compiled a cybersecurity checklist below of some of the basic things you can do to be a #CyberSafeCat. Once you have checked off the items from the list below, maintaining good cybersecurity habits is easy. 

• Report Phishing. Always think twice before clicking links or opening emails from unknown senders. Phishing emails often try to trick you into giving away your information by including offers that are too good to be true (e.g., winning cash or a gift card) or content that creates some sense of urgency (e.g., act now before your account expires). If you know an email is phishing, hit the Report Message button (read more).    
• Use strong passwords with the help of a password manager. Cybersecurity best practices include always using unique, complex passwords that you never share. Using a password manager can help. By suggesting strong passwords automatically, it takes the guesswork out of creating new passwords and saves your logins all in one place. Read more about password managers here.  
• Use multi-factor authentication for every account. At UK, the best way to protect your accounts is to use multi-factor authentication via the Duo app. This allows for enhanced cybersecurity features and reduces the chance of someone stealing your credentials. Additionally, it is recommended to turn on biometrics, pin numbers, or any other additional methods of protecting your devices at login.  
• Avoid using public or free Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi is often unsecured, which means bad actors can easily access computers connected to these public networks. Try using your phone’s hotspot as an alternative, but make sure to enable the password protection in your phone’s settings.  
• Don’t overshare your personal information. Be mindful of your information in online posts. Once you take a photo or publish a post online, it is likely there forever.  
• Practice good device hygiene. Keep your devices up to date, clear of unused apps or data, and backed up. Downloading the latest operating systems and software upgrades helps protect your phone and computer from cybersecurity weaknesses. Reduce the risk of cybersecurity threats by only keeping software and apps you need. Also, making sure you have secure file storage and back-ups in the cloud can be crucial.  
• Use antivirus software. There are many tools out there that can regularly scan your device for threats. For students, Malwarebytes is available for personal devices (read more). For UK employees, please reach out to your IT representative about options for your UK device. 
• Sign up for UK ITS news, alerts and tech tips here. You can also follow UK ITS on social media and listen to all episodes of our new podcast TechKnow here.