They say that the human brain is as unique as their fingerprint. “No two people have the same brain anatomy.... This uniqueness is the result of a combination of genetic factors and individual life experiences” (read about the study here). I’d say that about covers it. Genetic factors and individual life experiences. And, odds are, you store and access a lot of data related to those two categories online. And in so many cases, the only thing standing between that data and prying eyes is a username and password. The gateway to your...Identity.
Let me ask you something...how many times do you log in each day? To your email, personal financial accounts, resources related to your job, patient portals, entertainment platforms (maybe it's easier, in 2024, to list the things you DON'T login for)? Take a quick tour of your bookmarks and browser history and count them up? Now a step further, how many separate devices do you use to access them? A phone, work computer, personal computer, tablet, TV, IoT devices, public Wi-Fi?
If I may wade into the weeds of semi-annoying tech speak for just a moment. According to Microsoft, “Many consider identity to be the primary perimeter for security. This is a shift from the traditional focus on network security. Network perimeters keep getting more porous, and that perimeter defense can’t be as effective as it was before the explosion of BYOD (bring-your-own-device) and cloud applications.” Odds are you can (and do) access almost any data related to your identity from anywhere. The key question is...are you doing so securely? Microsoft Entra observes 50 million password attacks daily, yet only 20% of users and 30% of global admins are using strong authentications such as multifactor authentication (MFA) based on data from August 2021.
Here’s the point: Much of your existence is online. It's stored in servers and datacenters across the country (maybe even the globe). This is a ubiquitous reality for many us. The question you should be asking is this: Am I abiding best practices for keeping it secure as I browse the internet every day?
The beauty is that doing so is reasonably simple. It just requires a little effort, a little bit of patience, and probably a little bit of change to your routine. Here are some recommendations for how to do so when you’re cruising the web (enabling MFA wherever possible should be implied at this point):
- Use a reputable browser: It’s important to choose a browser that has built-in security features. Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge are good choices because they receive regular security updates to protect against new threats.
- Update that browser regularly: Keeping your browser updated ensures that you have the latest security features. Browser updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities, so it’s important to install them as soon as they’re available.
- That browser probably has a Private Browsing option. Use It: Private browsing can be useful when accessing sensitive information. It doesn’t save your browsing history, cookies, or form data, which can help protect your privacy.
- Skip saving sensitive data in that browser: While it might be convenient to save sensitive data like passwords or credit card information in your browser or on a website, it can also jeopardize your identity. If that website or browser is compromised, your saved data could be at risk.
- Avoid clicking on search ads: Scammers often use search ads to trick users into visiting malicious websites. These websites can look identical to official sites and can steal personal information. It’s best to avoid clicking on these ads and instead navigate directly to the official website.
- Watch out for ‘Allow Notifications’ pop-ups: Some websites ask for permission to send notifications. If you grant permission to a suspicious website, it could send potentially harmful browser notifications.
- Scan the links before you download: Before downloading anything from the internet, it’s a good idea to scan the links. This can help ensure that the links are safe and don’t lead to malicious software.
- Expand the links before you visit them: Some links, especially on social media, are shortened. Before clicking on these links, expand them to see where they lead.
- Avoid websites that spam you with ads: Websites that bombard you with ads can be annoying and potentially dangerous. Some ads can lead to malicious websites or download harmful software onto your device.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed these days with all the risks (perceived and real) of life in a digital world. But being informed and practicing safe habits has long been good medicine for such feelings. Be good and browse safely.
-Jared Landt- Service Desk Engineer. Cybersecurity wizard. Part-time rockstar.
(Credit for the above bullet points goes to howtogeek.com. Read their full post here).
