How organizing your digital life can protect you from cyber risks
In the connected world of today, our digital presence is an extension of ourselves. Every day, we sign up for different apps, social networks and websites to purchase products or services. And the truth is, it often only takes a few days for us to forget the account created on that platform, whether due to disinterest or pure forgetfulness.
With so many platforms dedicated to different ends, it is really easy to lose track of our digital footprint. Each of us must take responsibility for organizing our online lives and protecting our privacy and security.
Step one: Digital spring cleaning
As a first step, plan a periodic spring clean for your online profiles. Ask yourself which services and platforms you use regularly and which accounts have long been abandoned. Identify and delete unnecessary profiles to reduce the volume of potential exposure.
After all, not only the information in profiles you regularly access but also that present in abandoned profiles, can be used to create highly customized phishing scams.
What's next?
After choosing the platforms you want to keep, it's time to review the privacy settings for all your accounts, even the ones you use less often.
Adjust them to ensure that only trusted people have access to your posts, photos and other content. Also, try not to share excessive details of your personal life, let alone information that may be considered sensitive.
And when it comes to digital organization, complex passwords for accounts simply aren’t enough: a good password manager is a worthy investment. They offer efficient management of credentials and facilitate the creation of unique combinations for each account. That way, there’s no need to keep remembering your password every time you access a profile.
Digging a little deeper
Thinking about digging even deeper and adjusting advanced settings? Great! Periodically review the permissions granted to applications on your mobile device or computer. Some software may request access to unnecessary personal information. In such cases, always make sure you only grant essential permission to protect your privacy.
And don't forget about cookies, those small pieces of code stored by websites we visit that can track our online activity. Set up your cookie preferences in your browser to avoid unwanted tracking.
Organizing your digital life is key to staying protected online. By regularly reviewing your accounts, controlling the content of your social networks, managing passwords and checking app permission, you can significantly reduce the risks of falling victim to a digital scam.
