Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. By building strong cyber habits, you can prevent identity theft, protect sensitive information, and adapt to new risks as threats evolve.
Follow these five tips to keep your information safe and to help make Minnesota a more secure place to live and work.
1. Use strong passwords, a password manager, and check for data breaches
How often do you go online to check your bank balance, pay bills, surf social media, or order a last-minute birthday gift? If you’re doing this online, you need a strong, unique password for every site.
- Create long, strong passwords or passphrases for each of your accounts – work, personal, and school.
- Use a unique password for every account – never reuse the same one for different accounts.
- Store and manage your passwords securely with a password manager.
- Check if your email address has been compromised in a data breach at haveibeenpwned.com.
- If it has, change your password for that account immediately to something strong.
- Contact companies where your data was breached for information, next steps, and to take advantage of any offer of free credit reports or freezes.
Stay cyber smart:
2. Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- For extra security, turn on MFA, also known as two-factor verification, on every online account - including your banking app, credit card, online shopping accounts, and social media accounts.
Stay cyber smart:
- Review /mnit/assets/Stay%20cyber%20smart%20-%20Turn%20on%20MFA_tcm38-710078.pdfthis handout for tips on using MFA.
- Read our blog post answering common questions about MFA.
3. Think before you click: Watch for phishing attempts
Phishing emails or texts often contain viruses or malware in their links or attachments. So, do not click links or open attachments unless you are 100% certain they are from a legitimate source.
It’s safe to open emails and texts to read them and determine if they are legitimate or a phishing attempt. With every email or text:
- Question it – don’t assume it’s safe.
- Don’t respond immediately – take time to pause and decide if it's using phishing common phishing tactics like creating a sense of urgency or if it is threatening.
- Examine it – look carefully for signs of phishing or fraud.
- Verify it – contact the sender by calling or messaging them directly.
- Report it – report then delete suspicious emails or texts.
Stay cyber smart:
- Review /mnit/assets/Stay%20cyber%20smart%20-%20Recognize%20and%20report%20phishing_tcm38-710075.pdfthis handout to learn how to recognize and report phishing.
- Read our blog post 5 Tips to avoid falling for a phishing scam.
4. Beware of downloads, and turn on software updates
Be cautious about what you download because it could be malware that infects your device. To keep your device more secure, always keep the operating systems, software, and applications up to date.
- Never download software or updates from pop-up windows or from links in emails or chat messages, even if they look legitimate.
- Only install software from official sources.
- If a website prompts you to "update your browser" or "install security software," close the tab immediately.
- Keep your devices – computers and cell phones – updated.
- Turn on automatic updates or install updates as soon as possible. Security updates often fix vulnerabilities that cyber criminals could use to infect your device.
- Don't delay an update or it can provide bad actors more time to take advantage of vulnerabilities and launch a successful cyber attack.
Stay cyber smart:
- Use /mnit/assets/Stay%20cyber%20smart%20-%20Strengthen%20cyber%20habits_tcm38-710077.pdfthis handout for tips to strengthen your cyber habits.
5. Follow public WiFi safe practices
With more locations offering free internet, connecting to a public WiFi network at your local library, coffee shop, or hotel is easier and more convenient than ever. But, connecting to public unsecured WiFi networks poses risks to the information you share on that network.
- Avoid or limit using public WiFi, especially at places like coffee shops and airports.
- Verify official hotel and business WiFi names and passwords before connecting.
- Use a personal hotspot instead when accessing financial accounts or any site that requires a password.
Stay cyber smart:
- Use /mnit/assets/Stay%20cyber%20smart%20-%20Stay%20safe%20online%20when%20away%20from%20home_tcm38-710076.pdfthis handout for tips to stay safe online when away from home.
