{"id":162989,"date":"2023-01-02T09:33:14","date_gmt":"2023-01-02T17:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=162989"},"modified":"2024-06-21T09:45:17","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T16:45:17","slug":"start-the-new-year-right-with-this-3-step-digital-detox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/start-the-new-year-right-with-this-3-step-digital-detox\/","title":{"rendered":"Start the New Year Right With This 3-Step Digital Detox"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pledging to follow healthier habits is consistently the most popular new year\u2019s resolution. That January 1<\/span>st<\/span> promise looks different to everyone: snacking less often, going to the gym more often, drinking more water, drinking less soda, etc. This year, instead of a juice cleanse subscription, opt for a healthier habit that\u2019s not an unappetizing shade of green: follow this digital detox, instead! In three easy steps, you can make great strides in <\/span>improving your digital wellness<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Update<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

There are various aspects of your digital habits that you should consider updating for a more private and safer online life. For starters, <\/span>update your passwords<\/span><\/a>. Do you reuse the same password for multiple online accounts? Doing so puts your <\/span>personally identifiable information<\/span><\/a> (PII) at great risk. For example, if a business with which you have an online shopping account is breached by a cybercriminal, your login and password combination could make it on the dark web, through no fault of your own. Then, through a brute force attack, a criminal could use that same password and username combo to walk into your banking or tax filing accounts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering unique, complicated passwords and passphrases for your dozens of online accounts would be impossible. Luckily, there\u2019s software that remembers them for you! It\u2019s called a password manager<\/a>, which acts as a vault for all your login information. Just remember one master password, and you can be confident in the security of your accounts and never have to deal with the hassle of forgetting passwords.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another aspect of updating you should adopt in 2023 is making an effort to always upgrade to the latest software updates on all your devices. The easiest way to do this is to turn on automatic updates. From there, you don\u2019t need to take any further action! Apps and operating systems (like Apple, Android, and Windows) often release updates to patch security vulnerabilities. When you run outdated software, there\u2019s a chance a cybercriminal could take advantage of that security gap.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, make sure that you keep updated on the latest security headlines. Consider setting up news alerts to notify you when a breach occurs at a company that you frequent or have an account with. Speed is often key in making sure that your information remains safe, so it\u2019s best practice to have your finger on the\u00a0pulse on the security news of the day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Connect<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

A new year digital detox can be a whole family affair. Connect with your family, anyone connected to your home network, and your <\/span>elderly relatives<\/span><\/a> to get everyone on the same page with security best practices. Here are some common online security snags people of all ages encounter:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Social media oversharing.<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Everyone has an oversharer on their newsfeed. Alert your family members of the dangers of posting too much about their personal life. When someone takes those \u201cget to know you\u201d quizzes and posts their answers, cybercriminals can use that post to take educated guesses at your passwords. Additionally, social engineers can tailor <\/span>social media scams<\/span><\/a> to specific people in order to increase the chances of tricking someone into sending money or sharing valuable personal or banking details.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Falling for phishing.<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

While spam filters catch a lot of phishing emails, phishers are getting smarter by the day and are making their attempts more and more believable. Connect with your loved ones and make sure they know how to recognize phishing emails, texts, and social media direct messages. Telltale signs of a phishing message include:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n