#1: Stop reusing passwords
You know it’s dumb, but too many of us still do it. It’s just convenient, isn’t it? But it’s dumb. It’s especially dumb to consider reusing a password for your password manager. But I know people who do that too. Stop it. Get a decent password manager and use it.
#2: Don’t be tied to one browser
I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve spoken to who are unhappy with their current browser – it’s almost always Google Chrome – and what to somehow “make it better,” but are horrified by the suggestion of using a different browser. There are loads of browsers out there. They’re free. I’ve found time and time again in testing that the best browser for a platform is the browser that comes with the platform. Get caught up in a cult of a single browser, and you’re at the whim of that browser forever. It also makes you more flexible, allowing you to move between devices and platforms with ease.
#3: Patch soon
As tempting as it can be to hold off on patching devices, it’s a dangerous road to go down. Zero-day vulnerabilities are everywhere, and patches are now plugging up so many vulnerabilities that are even waiting a few hours becomes risky. Patch as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the bigger the risk. I know that patches can bring with them new headaches, but these pale in comparison to the headaches that a security breach will bring to your head.
#4: Have a backup
Not a week goes by that I don’t hear from someone or some company that’s lost data and didn’t have a backup. Yes, it’s 2022, and if 2021 is anything to go by, some people and companies still operate in the hope that they are not going to lose data. If you are one of those, know that the odds are against you and know that you are playing with fire.
#5: Drop the cult thinking
Windows is the best. Mac is the best. Android beats this; iOS is beating that. Linux rules them all. Stop thinking like this. You’re just buying into divisiveness created by big corporations. Use what works for you but be open-minded. Tech changes fast, and it’s important for those who work in the field to know what’s happening out there. Just as with not being tied to a single browser, flexible platforms also make you more flexible, allowing you to move between devices and platforms with ease.
