My Devices:
- My computer/tablet/phone requires a password before I can use it
- Anti-virus software is installed and set to automatically update on my:
- desktop computer
- laptop / tablet
- smart phone
- children’s/spouse’s/partner’s devices
- Operating systems, browsers, and software on all of my devices are set to automatically update
- I set up my anti-virus software to perform periodic security scans on all of my devices
- The items below are more complicated but are worth hiring an IT professional to accomplish:
- I have secured my home Wi-Fi with a strong password and WPA2 + AES security
- Remove admin rights from your user profile and create a separate Admin user
My online accounts:
- I have strong passwords on my online accounts and devices
- I use a password manager (recommended)
- I keep my passwords in a secure place
- I use two-step authentication for my email and for my other sensitive online accounts
- My Facebook or other social media account is set so that my information is only accessible to people I know (not public or “friends of friends”)
- I have deleted my old emails that might contain sensitive personal information
My behavior:
- I am skeptical of calls or emails that try to scare me into making payments or sharing my personal information
- I do not use public Wi-Fi to email or log in to websites that require a password
- I read the MCS “Cyber and Identity Theft” article and understand how phishing uses behavioral science to break through my security barriers
- I do not share sensitive personal information in emails or on social media
- I am careful about who I allow to connect to my social media accounts
- I do not send images of tax returns, financial information or personal data as attachments to my financial or legal advisers
- I opted out of unsolicited credit card and insurance offers, marketing phone calls and mailings
- I have a shredder or I take my sensitive trash to a secure disposal facility
My financial accounts and credit profile:
- I open and review mail from my financial institution immediately
- I review transactions in my debit card accounts daily, and my credit card statements monthly
- I set up alerts to flag unusual activity on my debit and credit cards
- I have engaged a credit monitoring service
- I review my credit reports quarterly
- I set a credit alert with the credit agencies and I plan to renew the alert every 90 days
- I have frozen my credit