The age of digitalization is enjoyable, with everything available to us at the blink of an eye. However, there are two sides to every story, and the ill-effects of digitalization can’t be ignored either.
While it’s important to follow safe online practices, if you have kids or old people in your home, and use shared devices for work and personal purposes, it’s essential to teach them about online safety.
If you’re wondering how to do that, here are a few best practices that you can follow for safeguarding family data on shared devices.
Create Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are the first defence against online threats and malwares. If your family data is stored on shared devices, it’s essential that you keep your passwords protected. This includes but is not limited to locking and unlocking systems of your shared devices, as well as various social media, financial and work apps, and other accounts. Choose a reputable email provider and read reviews of them like this proton mail review.
It’s a good idea to turn on multi-factor authentication on all your shared devices, and keep different passwords for each account. To be ahead of the curve, keep changing your passwords every few months, at least twice a year. Also, never share your passwords with anyone outside of your home, and teach your kids to do the same.
Avoid Sharing Personal Information
With almost everyone sharing pictures and videos of their amazing life, it can be tempting to start posting too much of yourself on social media. But it can backfire quickly. Social media platforms are a breeding ground for cyber criminals and hackers waiting for you to share any sensitive information.
To keep your and your family’s data safe, avoid posting information such as your house address, the places you visit, any personal pictures, and financial statements. Also, teach everyone else in your house to follow the same rules. If you have kids, it’s necessary to teach them about the concepts of social media footprint and stranger danger. Set some ground rules regarding your kids screen time and keep an eye out for any unusual online behaviours or activities.
Install Strong Anti-Virus Software
More often than not, malwares can creep into your devices through spam links and emails. While it’s important to teach your kids about malicious content and how to avoid it, it’s essential as a parent to be cautious. While there are many paid as well as free antivirus download options available, choosing an antivirus option that ensures all your shared devices are protected is important.
As a rule of thumb, a great antivirus software offers protection from various types of malware, including but not limited to ransomware, spearphishing, rootkits and Trojan, cryptojacking, apart from the regular websites and files that might prove harmful. It will scan and clean all your devices as soon as it finds something malicious, keeping your family’s data safe.
Stay Wary Of Public Wi-Fi Connections
There are multiple updates launched every few months by different platforms and apps to ensure optimum security and best service for their customers. While you should keep your devices and accounts updated with the latest versions, it still might not be able to protect your devices from the threats of public wi-fi.
Whether you’re using your smartphone, laptop, tablet or any other shared device with family data, never use public wi-fi while working on sensitive data. Yes, an antivirus for windows and other electronic devices will protect your device from malicious content but it might not be able to protect your data from getting stolen by hackers who may find it easier to do so on public wi-fi. For complete security, use your mobile data or ask your friends and family for mobile hotspot.
Parting Thoughts
Online safety and safeguarding your family data on shared devices is extremely important for a great experience in the digital world. While good anti-malware software and password protection will do most of the work, being cautious about the choices you make regarding your day-to-day activities while handling your devices can ensure that you and your family stay safe everyday.
