Archives - Security Best Practice


Turn off your computer if not in use

Powering down your Mac/PC when you’re not using it hits several birds with one stone: It saves electricity, while reducing your exposure to malware infections and preventing unwanted manipulation by anyone with physical access to it.

Hover over a link to see where it actually leads

Many articles, posts and other communications contain numerous links, some of which may lead to pages that no longer exist or, worse, are compromised. On a Mac/PC you can hover your mouse cursor over a link to see its destination. On mobile, you can hold to copy it and then paste it into a note […]

Follow the 3-2-1 rule for backups

The 3-2-1 rule is a great general framework for backing up your data: Have at least 3 total copies of your data backed up. Ensure 2 of them are local but are on different media (e.g., external hard drives or SD cards). Keep 1 offsite, likely in a cloud-based backup service.

Use the latest Wi-Fi security measures

It’s been obsolete for years, but make sure you are not still securing any Wi-Fi networks with the legacy WEP standard. WPA2 is ideal as of early 2018 and supported by any legitimate modern router or wireless-enabled device. Be on the lookout for WPA3-certified products in the coming years, as they will have additional features.

Beyond Facebook – How targeted advertising works across the web

At some point when using a web browser, you’ve probably had the following experience: You look something up in a search engine and click a few links to product pages, review sites, etc. You then navigate to another website, like Facebook or someone’s blog, seemingly unrelated to that previous search. There, you notice specific advertisements […]

Consider a YubiKey for highly sensitive accounts

If you use two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your logins, there’s still some risk if the 2FA code is sent via SMS. YubiKey (a hardware authentication device) offers a safer alternative to text messages, in the form of a USB stick that must be physically plugged into your Mac/PC during login. It’s already compatible with […]