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<\/p>\nHappy New Year! For many of us, the start of a new year is an opportunity to reflect on fresh habits we\u2019d like to adopt. Although we certainly support any resolutions you may have made to get enough sleep, eat healthy, and exercise, could we suggest a few more that will improve your digital security?<\/p>\n
One of the most important things you can do to protect your security is to install new operating system updates and security updates soon after Apple releases them. Although the details seldom make the news because they\u2019re both highly specific and highly technical, you can get a sense of how important security updates are by the fact that a typical update addresses 20\u201340 vulnerabilities that Apple or outside researchers have identified.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s usually a good idea to wait a week or so after an update appears before installing it, on the off chance that it has undesirable side effects. Although such problems are uncommon, when they do happen, Apple pulls the update quickly, fixes it, and releases it again, usually within a few days.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve been banging this drum for years. If you\u2019re still typing passwords in by hand, or copying and pasting from a list you keep in a file, please switch to a password manager like 1Password<\/a> or LastPass<\/a>. Even Apple\u2019s built-in iCloud Keychain<\/a> is better than nothing. A password manager has five huge benefits:<\/p>\n A bonus benefit for families is password sharing. It allows, for example, a married couple to share essential passwords or for parents and teens to share certain passwords.<\/p>\n In short, using a password manager is more secure, faster, easier, and just all-around better. If you need help getting started, get in touch.<\/p>\n Individuals and businesses alike frequently suffer from security lapses caused by phishing<\/i>, forged email that fools someone into revealing login credentials, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. Although spam filters can catch many phishing attempts, it\u2019s up to you to be on your guard at all times. Here\u2019s what to watch for:<\/p>\n When in doubt, don\u2019t follow the link or reply to the email. Instead, contact the sender in some other way to see if the message is legit.<\/p>\n We won\u2019t belabor this one, but suffice it to say that you\u2019re much more likely to pick up malware from sites on the fringes of the Web or that cater to the vices of society. To the extent that you can avoid sites that provide pirated software, \u201cadult\u201d content, gambling opportunities, or sales of illicit substances, the safer you\u2019ll be. That\u2019s not to say that reputable sites haven\u2019t been hacked and used to distribute malware too, but it\u2019s far less common.<\/p>\n If you are concerned after spending time in the darker corners of the Web, download a free copy of Malwarebytes<\/a> or DetectX Swift<\/a> and scan for malware manually.<\/p>\n Although phishing happens mostly via email, scammers have also taken to using phone calls and texts. Thanks to weaknesses in the telephone system, such calls and texts can appear to come from well-known companies, including Apple and Amazon. Even worse, with so much online ordering happening, fake text messages pretending to help you track packages are becoming more common.<\/p>\n For phone calls from companies, unless you\u2019re expecting a call back from a support ticket you opened, don\u2019t answer. Let the call go to voicemail, and if you feel it\u2019s important to respond, look up the company\u2019s phone number elsewhere, and talk with someone at that number rather than one provided by the voicemail.<\/p>\n For texts, avoid following links unless you recognize the sender and it makes sense that you\u2019d be receiving such a link. (For instance, Apple can text delivery details related to your orders.) Regardless, never enter login information at a site you\u2019ve reached by following a link because there\u2019s no way to know if it\u2019s real. Instead, if you want to learn more, navigate manually to the company\u2019s site by entering its URL yourself, then log in.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s raise a glass to staying safe online in 2021!<\/p>\n (Featured image based on originals from Tim Mossholder<\/a> and Jude Beck<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Happy New Year! For many of us, the start of a new year is an opportunity to reflect on fresh habits we\u2019d like to adopt. Although we certainly support any resolutions you may have made to get enough sleep, eat healthy, and exercise, could we suggest a few more that will improve your digital security? 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<\/p>\nBeware of Phishing Email<\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/macworks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-new-years-resolutions-that-will-improve-your-digital-security-2.png\")
<\/p>\nAvoid Sketchy Websites<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/macworks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-new-years-resolutions-that-will-improve-your-digital-security-3.png\")
<\/p>\nNever Respond to Unsolicited Calls or Texts<\/h3>\n
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