These skimmers were once a major issue at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. They can still be risky if you pay by swiping. To stay safe, pay with a chip or tap. At ATMs, consider using an NFC-enabled phone to tap to access your account instead of your physical card. That way, there’s no card number […]

Never supply your current or old passwords to someone on the phone claiming to be from tech support. If you need to reset your password, you can usually do so by clicking a link on the site in question and/or supplying your old password.

Third-party keyboards allow you to customize how you type on a touchscreen device, whether that customization entails swipe-based typing, new stickers and emoji, or something else. The tradeoff is that the keyboard can see everything you type. That might be harmless depending on the vendor, but it’s still a big risk to take and one […]

Do you have critical items (like family photos or lists of passwords) saved only on a single device? If so, be sure to diversify your backup strategy and move these assets to other devices and locations. Cloud backup and external hard drives are both good options.

Updates are integral to keeping all networked software secure. You can ensure updates are installed automatically, which is in fact the default for apps on Android and iOS, or schedule a big installation – like an OS update – in advance. These options are better and safer than having to apply updates manually.

As cybersecurity threats have evolved, longstanding protective tools like antivirus (AV) software have taken a back seat to different solutions like password managers and cloud backups in discussions of how to stay safe. AV still has its place though, particularly if you rely on a PC or Mac. It’ll scan for known threats and quarantine […]