Digital Spring Cleaning
Protect Your Devices and Data
Spring is just around the corner! As you freshen up your living space, don’t forget to clean up your digital devices and accounts. Follow these steps to optimize the life of your computer and protect your data.
First, backup your data
A ransomware attack, a hardware malfunction or a misplaced device can leave you scrambling to recover your data. Prepare for any one of those scenarios by securely backing up your files, photos, and data. You should have online and offline backups.
Review your passwords
Do you use the same password for more than one account or device? Are your passwords strong? Create new passwords as necessary to ensure you have a secure login for all your accounts and devices. Set up a password manager to store your passwords and to generate long, unique passwords for you every time you sign up for an account.
Update your devices and apps
Security updates are key to data protection and it helps to mitigate risk in a cyber breach. Schedule your machine to run regular updates outside of the hours you use the device.
Check your privacy settings
Does that app really need to access your location or your contact lists 24/7? Protect yourself by checking and adjusting your privacy settings as necessary.
Set up multifactor authentication on your accounts
Setting up multifactor authentication is a quick process that protects your data, even if you experience a data breach.
Remove unused apps
Any app you have installed is taking up space and potentially slowing down your device. Plus, apps will often have your username and password stored as well as other information, which you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands.
Dispose of any old devices
Are you still keeping an old device when you have a brand new one? Before you get rid of it, make sure to remove all your information from the device as well as any files, photos or other data you want to save. Consider donating the device or checking into your local area’s guidelines for disposing of digital devices.
Organize your photos for more storage space
Photos can use up a significant amount of storage, and you can enable your machine to run faster if you organize and appropriately store them. Remove duplicate and blurry photos, save others to a flash drive, and consider printing or otherwise finding a way to enjoy your favorites rather than storing them on your phone.
Search your name online and remove any sensitive data
Look up your name in search engines to see what information about you is available online. If you see personal information that you do not want online, log into the website if possible that contains the information and remove it. Remember that it is your responsibility to manage your online identity.
Keep it clean
Wipe down your device and remove any dust. Dust buildup in the hardware can cause your device to overheat.
Digital spring cleaning is simple, but it can become time-consuming if you have multiple devices, apps and accounts. Consider tackling one task at a time. Your devices and apps will run faster, your data will be more secure, and the life of your devices will potentially be extended.
Digital spring cleaning time is a good opportunity to run risk assessments on your devices and systems to ensure your security is optimized. Contact Quanterion’s IT department at IT@Quanterion.com for support. Learn more about Quanterion’s commercial cybersecurity solutions.
