It’s a bad idea to keep all of your important photos, videos, documents and apps that you would never want to lose track of on one local system that hasn’t been backed up. Best practice is to maintain multiple copies across different locations, using online backup and/or external hard drive solutions as needed.

Countless smartphones, tablets and laptops are eventually abandoned by their manufacturers, at least when it comes to regular security and operating system updates. When this happens to a device you rely on, consider switching it out for a newer or alternative version or one that is still getting these critical patches and upgrades.

Most organizations – banks, universities, companies, etc. –  will not request your personal information over email. Do not disclose personally identifiable information online such as your full name, telephone number, address, social security number, insurance policy number, credit card information, or doctor’s name. Avoid opening attachments, clicking on links, or responding to email messages from […]

If you do not regularly use an account, it shouldn’t exist. If an account that you don’t check regularly gets hacked, you may not even notice until the hacker causes significant damage. You may think that your old social media accounts don’t contain much sensitive information, but you’d be surprised. They might contain your email, […]

Similar to automatic Wi-Fi connectivity, your iPhone searches for nearby available Bluetooth connections. Assailants can use a Bluetooth connection as a potential entry point to hack into your device and steal your personal information. To turn off automatic Bluetooth activity on iOS: Go to “Settings.” Go to “Bluetooth.” Turn Bluetooth off. A safer way to […]

When you leave your computer, you don’t want somebody else getting unauthorized access to it. Setting an automatic logoff timer ensures that it’s not susceptible when you step away for an extended period. This can be easily done on both Windows and Mac operating systems.