As a PT much of your business will be done online nowadays. Good online habits are the first and foremost defence against online viruses and other threats. Avoid sites that are well known to host viruses ( mainly porn sites). Don’t click on links in emails unless you have verified they are from official companies that you have an ongoing relationship with or that you recognise as you have had dealings with them before. Never give out details or sign up to something that is too good to be true. And be careful downloading things online that may carry viruses.
Back Up
Back up all your important files to a separate drive, then back up your operating system to a different drive. You can use USB thumb drives for this purpose, an external HD or for files you can use a cloud service.
Use secure Password services built into Web browsers.
All web browsers now suggest strong passwords for your online accounts and allow you to store them encrypted in the cloud. This stops you from using the same password for multiple sites and the passwords are very secure with a random mix of numbers and letters.
There are multiple virus protection services available, and its worth looking for services that include security software or looking for discounts at reputable online stores. Many security software companies also offer free basic protection which may be fine for many people who generally keep their internet usage to emails and social media.
So, your broadband provider gave you a wireless modem as part of your package - why would you pay good many for something that you already have?
Well, the router provided by your broadband company is not the best. That is putting it lightly, in fact, its pretty terrible. You may have noticed the drops, the slowdowns when there are many devices connected and the poor reception is some places. Buying a decent wireless router gives you the most out of the money you are paying monthly for broadband with faster more stable connections.
Many wireless routers also come with good parental controls that can block access to adult websites, block certain apps access to the internet and set times that your kids devices are allowed to access the network. This is a great boon for parents that need to set specific bedtime routines but who also may use it as a discipline/ reward mechanism.
A good wireless router is also the first line in defence from viruses, scams and attacks that lurk in the World Wide Web.
A MESH router is a system that helps eliminate dead spots in large houses. They provide one stable connection throughout the house - but they are only feasible for very big houses or homes with lots of interference with the signal.
How to create and remember good passwords
A good password should be easy for you to remember but hard for anyone else to figure out, and it is important to secure your online accounts with a safe and effective password.
It sounds simple, but is often a pain and somewhat difficult to implement properly, but there is a way. And it involves including Mnemonics. Mnemonics is a system used to aid information retention. It is very powerful and can be used to create great passwords only you can remember easily. So lets start with some general tips on creating a strong password:
General tips for creating a good password
- Avoid using information that many people know about you, like your birthday, where you always go on holiday, the names of your pet/children etc.
- Avoid using actual words. Yep, don't use words. If someone is serious about getting into your account they will be able to run programs like a dictionary to try to get access.
- Always use upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters such as % or *
- Now use the journey method below in Mnemonics with Acronyms to create a great password!
Using the Journey method to create your password
Lets create an over simplified password for an example.
Os@Mm1fs
This was done in a few seconds, and uses the Journey method to help you to remember it.
So this simply means Online shopping @ M(GVT) my number 1 favourite store
- Now you can read this out to yourself, and as you create it. It's a password for a shopping account so I used that for the first 2 characters, then the name of the store where I am shopping. Then something about the store I like. Using the letters of each word, plus a special character and number and you have an easy to remember password. Associate images and sounds to each character, even move along a path in your mind if it helps, and see the different characters, you should be able to say your password and type it as it appears above, second nature after a few attempts.
If you really struggle you can always use a Letts Password Book
Social media has made keeping in contact with friends and family so much easier and has made the spread of information far quicker than at any other point in human history. But this does not mean that it is always positive. Its has also contributed to the spread of misinformation, lies (now called fake news), cyber bullying, depression and anxiety among a whole group of negative things. Like with all things it should be used in moderation with strict time limits and periods in place especially for kids. The best way is to have a certain time of day to check so ial media and reply to messages., and to choose friends carefully.
