5 things you need to do to prevent yourself from getting hacked in 2021

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There are two big reasons people get hacked. Flaws in software and flaws in human behavior. While there isn’t much you can do to code vulnerabilities, you can change your own behavior and bad habits.

Just ask the outgoing US President Donald Trump, whose Twitter password was, until recently, “maga2020!”. Or Boris Johnson who revealed details of the sensitive Zoom calls. (These world leaders will also have received specific training in security from protection agencies)

The risks are just as real for the average person – even if the stakes aren’t that high. If your accounts are not properly protected, your credit card could be compromised or your private messages and photos stolen and shared for all to see. Determining if your accounts have been hacked is a lengthy and potentially frustrating process. You’d better take steps to mitigate the risk of hacking in the first place. And there’s no better time to get your digital hygiene in order than the start of the year – head into 2021 for a start full of administrators, but sure.

Use multi-factor authentication

Perhaps the most effective thing you can do to protect your accounts online is to enable multi-factor or two-factor authentication for as many accounts as possible. The method uses secondary information – often a code generated by an application or sent by SMS – alongside a password.

This secondary information helps to prove that you are really trying to log in as the codes are often viewed on the phone in your pocket. Even if you have an easy-to-guess password (we’ll get to that shortly), an attacker is unlikely to have access to an account with multi-factor authentication enabled unless they have your phone.

There is a guide to all accounts that support the method here, but as a first step, you need to enable it for all accounts that have personal information that might be subject to abuse. Messaging apps like WhatsApp, social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and your messaging accounts.

However, not all forms of multi-factor authentication are created equal. Applications generating code are considered to be more secure than obtaining codes via SMS and beyond that, physical security keys provide an even more robust layer of protection.

Get a password manager

Let’s talk about passwords. It’s 2021, you shouldn’t be using passwords or 12345 for any of your passwords, even if it’s a disposable account.

All the passwords you use for your online accounts should be strong and unique. What this really means is that they should be long, include a mix of different types of characters, and not be used on multiple websites. Your Twitter password does not have to be the same as your online banking password; your home Wi-Fi network should not use the same credentials as your Amazon account.

The best way to do this is to use a password manager. Password managers create strong passwords for you and store them securely. If the fact that they can keep you from being hacked isn’t enough to make you consider using one, a password manager also means you’ll never have to fight to remember again. a forgotten password.

After testing the best password managers, we recommend that you try LastPass or KeePass.

Learn how to spot a phishing attack

Clicking quickly can be your worst enemy. When a new email or text message arrives that contains something that can be typed or clicked, our instincts often lead us to do it right away. Do not do that.

Hackers have used the pandemic as a cover to launch wave after wave of phishing attacks and dumb scams on Google Drive.

Anyone can fall for these types of scams. The main thing to do is think before you click. Scam messages attempt to trick people into behaving in ways they normally wouldn’t – instantly pretending to ask a boss, messages saying an urgent response is needed.

There is no sure-fire way to identify every type of phishing or scam effort – crooks are constantly improving their game – but being aware of the threat can help reduce its effectiveness. Be careful, think before you click, and only download files from people and sources you know and trust.

Update all

Every piece of technology you use – from the Facebook app on your phone to the operating system that controls your smart light bulb – is vulnerable to attack. Fortunately, companies are always finding new bugs and fixing them. That’s why it’s essential to download and update the latest versions of the apps and software you use.

Start with your phone. Go to your device’s settings and find out which operating system you are using and update if you are not on the latest version (iOS 14 is the latest for iPhones; Android 11 is the latest from Google). For apps and games, Apple’s iOS 13 and higher automatically downloads updates, although these settings can be customized. On Android, automatic updates can also be enabled by visiting the settings page in the Google Play Store.

Once you’ve updated your phone, you need to figure out which devices to update next. As a general rule, these should be done in order of potential impact. All the laptops and computers you own should be at the top of the list and then run backwards through other connected devices in your life. Remember: everything is vulnerable, including your chastity belt connected to the internet.

The past can come back to haunt you. Old online accounts that you no longer use and the login credentials that belong to them can be armed against you, if you do nothing about them. Hackers frequently use details of previous data breaches to gain access to accounts people are currently using.

Reducing the amount of information available about your life online can help reduce the risk of being hacked. A very simple step is to regularly delete your Google search history, but you can also use privacy-focused Google alternatives.

Beyond that, there is much more you can do to reduce your digital footprint. Find old accounts that you no longer use and delete them. This will reduce the amount of spam you receive and the number of ways hackers can target you. Use Have I Been Pwned? To find your information in old data breaches, use a VPN to boost browsing privacy, and download Tor if you really want to boost your anonymity online.

Matt Burgess is WIRED’s associate digital editor. He tweets from @ mattburgess1

Use multi-factor authentication

Get a password manager

Learn how to spot a phishing attack

Update all

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