Personal Cybersecurity Monthly Guide for 2022

As the first few months of 2022 come and go, New Year’s resolutions do too. While most people focus on exercising, eating healthy, and accomplishing fitness goals, other resolutions that should be valued like cybersecurity.

Online privacy has become increasingly important as we have succumbed to a digital world. From social media to online advertisements, we all come in contact with the internet in one way or another. Whether we’re posting a selfie with our dog or commenting “congratulations” on a friend’s engagement Facebook post, digital media is part of our everyday lives.

Despite the pros of technology and the online world, there are risks to be aware of. You can protect yourself against cyberterrorism and hacktivism in 2022 by staying up to date with the latest cyber defenses with just a few clicks.  

If you’re looking to learn about cybersecurity and how you can safeguard your data in 2022, look no further. Each month and season presents a different challenge in cyber security. Luckily, we have created a list of tips and a month-to-month guide on how you can practice your personal cybersecurity resolutions and stay safe for the rest of the year. 

What is Personal Cybersecurity?

Personal Cybersecurity is regarded as best practices and techniques that are used to protect privacy, data, and devices from unauthorized access and hacker cyberattacks. Cybersecurity is made up of three pillars:

• Online privacy: Managing data and information that you share online and who has authorized access to it.
• Data protection: Protecting your online data from malicious actors and restoring data if needed.
• Device security: Protecting data stored on personal devices such as smartphones, laptops, and other platforms from actors looking to gain information. 

Stay Updated on Cybersecurity Trends

Cyber security is like an online version of your at-home security system. There are many cybersecurity tools available like antivirus software that are capable of warning you about cyberattacks. 

To best protect yourself from data breaches and viruses, you should be aware of the latest cybersecurity issues. Educate yourself on malware and cyber threats that can potentially cause issues. Researching these threats and implementing preventive tactics can help you avoid cyberattacks.

Practice Password Safety

We all have tons of passwords that are annoying to remember. However, prioritizing password security and creating unique passwords will help you limit the possibility of your data being stolen. 

Reset your passwords every few months to keep them fresh and unhackable. Methods like password spraying and credential stuffing won’t stand a chance against your updated passwords. 

Enable Automatic Software Updates

Mitigating the danger of cybersecurity hacks by enabling automatic updates on your devices is a fool-proof way to beat out hackers. When systems are not readily updated, they become targets for hackers with updated security-breaching features. 

In your device’s settings, set system preferences to update automatically. This will allow you to stay updated on system changes and limit data breach risks.

Personal Cybersecurity Calendar

With this month-to-month breakdown, staying on schedule with personal cybersecurity will be easy. This calendar will ensure that your online security and safety needs are met.

• Winter: January, February, and March

Throughout these winter months, revamp old passwords across your devices. Check if your devices have automatic updates enables and delete lingering apps.

• Spring: April, May, June

Do some spring cleaning! Enable two-factor authentication on your devices, look into antivirus software, and report any bank statements that look suspicious.

• Summer: July, August, September

Summer may be a time to relax, but it is also a time to stay up to date on cybersecurity. Delete unnecessary sensitive data from your computer, create email filters for suspicious emails, and orient yourself with untrustworthy websites to avoid.

• Fall: October, November, December

Learn about new cybersecurity threats, create a guest network for holiday guests, and back up devices in the cloud. 

Enacting positive cybersecurity actions may seem daunting at first, but it can be done in no time! Protect yourself against hackers, use this helpful calendar, and become more familiar with your online platforms to upgrade your online security.