No expertise required. Just the simple habits I have picked up to protect myself online.
I am no security expert, and I do not think you need to be one to stay safe online. From everything I have read and seen, most attacks succeed through ordinary human slips rather than clever hacking: a weak password, a careless click, an update we keep putting off.
Passwords Are Your First Defence
The single change that gave me the most peace of mind was using a different password for every account. A password manager creates and stores the strong ones, so you only have to remember one master password. Turn on two-factor authentication wherever you can, too.
Recognising Scams
- Be suspicious of unexpected emails asking you to click links or download files.
- Check the sender's email address carefully, since scammers often use addresses that look almost identical to the real ones.
- Never share personal or financial information by email.
- If something feels urgent or too good to be true, it probably is.
Keep Everything Updated
I used to ignore the little "update available" badges for weeks. I no longer do. Those updates often carry security patches, and turning on automatic updates across my phone, computer and apps is one small habit that prevents a great many problems.
The best security is the one you actually use consistently.