Four tips to stay safe online

Cybercriminals target people every day — at work, at home and increasingly on mobile devices. Attackers exploit weak passwords, reuse stolen login credentials and send convincing phishing messages to gain access to accounts.

Thankfully, there are cybersecurity strategies we can all practice to stay safe online and prevent ourselves from falling victim to these types of attacks.

Want to stay safe online? Start by doing these four things.

1. Have good home network security.

Securing your home network is often the easiest place to start ensuring your online identity stays safe. A few simple steps can strengthen it.

Start with your Wi-Fi:

• Use a strong Wi-Fi password or passphrase.
• Change the default router password if you haven’t already.
• Enable automatic updates for your router and devices.

Remember your connected devices. Modern homes often have dozens of internet-connected products, including:

• Smart TVs and streaming devices
• Video game consoles
• Doorbell cameras and webcams
• Smart speakers
• Smart appliances

These devices can be vulnerable if they’re not updated regularly.

Practice safe browsing:

• Avoid installing unknown “free” software.
• Don’t click pop-ups that claim your computer is infected.
• Only download apps from trusted sources like official app stores.

2. Use stronger password habits. 

Access to your valuable information and finances is protected by a simple, yet crucial measure: the password. Safe passwords are broken into three basic parts:

• Creating a strong password
• Not reusing a password
• Not sharing a password with others

Long passwords are harder to crack. Aim for 12 or more characters whenever possible. Also, creating unique passwords for each site makes it more difficult for an attacker to jump from one website to another using your password.

Passphrases are another great tool for creating secure passwords. They’re easier to remember and harder to guess.

Example:
Mixer.Coffee.Kitty2

Better yet, use a password manager to generate and store unique passwords securely.

3. Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

Even strong passwords can be compromised. Multi-Factor Authentication adds another layer of protection. When MFA is enabled, logging in requires two or more forms of verification:

• Something you know – your password.
• Something you have – a code sent to your phone or generated by an app.
• Something you are – biometrics like fingerprint or Face ID.

Examples you may already use include:

• A 6-digit login code sent to your phone
• Authenticator apps such as Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile
• Biometric login on smartphones

Whenever possible, use an authenticator app instead of email codes, which are less secure if your email account is compromised.

4. Learn to spot suspicious messages.

Phishing attacks have become quite common. Attackers will send text messages, emails or direct messages on social media to convince users to give up their password. These messages often:

• Come from a familiar sender.
• Contain a link to an imposter website.
• Will attempt to cause fear or alarm.

Example messages might say:

• “Someone tried to access your bank account from another state.”
• “Your package delivery failed. Click here to reschedule.”
• “Your Netflix account has been suspended.”

Before clicking anything, pause and verify.

Check for warning signs:

• Email addresses that don’t match the company domain
• Misspellings or unusual grammar
• Links that redirect to unfamiliar websites

If you’re unsure, contact the company directly using their official website or phone number.

Mobile-first safety tips

Most online activity now happens on smartphones, so it’s important to protect them, too.

Simple mobile security habits:

• Lock your phone with Face ID, fingerprint or a strong PIN.
• Keep your operating system updated.
• Only download apps from official app stores.
• Avoid logging in to sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi.
• Enable remote wipe in case your phone is lost or stolen.

Your phone often holds banking apps, email access and saved passwords, making it one of the most important devices to protect.

Stay vigilant!

Cyber threats evolve constantly, but basic security habits go a long way toward protecting your information. To stay safe, remember the following measures:

• Secure your home network and devices.
• Use strong, unique passwords.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication.
• Recognize suspicious messages.

By practicing these habits, you can significantly reduce your risk of fraud and keep your personal information safer online.