Basic Steps to Increase your Cybersecurity

Here are some basic actions you can take to increase your digital security. This is more of a to-do list rather than my usual how-to guide, so please reach out to me with any questions you have.

If you find that you enjoy setting up these tools and playing with the admin settings, you should look into a cybersecurity career.

Password Managers

A password manager is a tool that allows you to manage your passwords. Personally, I love Bitwarden. It is simple and free. Bitwarden is also open-source, which is a characteristic of a program I always appreciate. They also have apps for your phone and operating system. There are other options out there like LastPass, 1Password, and the self-hosted KeePass. Bitwarden can be self-hosted as well.

Once you have your account set up, audit your existing passwords. Make sure you don't use anything twice. Use the built-in tools to create random, hard-to-guess passwords.

Bonus: Help someone else set up a password manager. Helping people become more secure is a valuable skill, and explaining how to use this tool is an essential part of that.

Have I Been Pwned

Have I Been Pwned is a website that runs your email address against a database of known security breaches and shows where your data has been exposed. If you have been exposed, it's time to change your password.

While visiting the site, use their password tool too. You can enter a password and it will let you know if it has ever been exposed in a breach.

Bonus: Sign up for alerts. Continuous monitoring is an important part of security — they'll alert you if your email appears in a new breach.

Map Your Network

Figure out what is on your home network, and what the IP and MAC addresses of your devices are. You need to know what is supposed to be there — that way if you see something unfamiliar, you'll know what to investigate.

Bonus: Set static IPs on your devices so you always know what address belongs to what.

Lock Down Your Router

Most routers come with default settings that aren't very secure. Here's what to change to make it harder for outsiders to access your home network:

• Create a strong password for your WiFi
• Change the default admin password
• Use WPA2 — not WEP or WPA — for your wireless encryption
• Disable WPS on your router

Bonus: Install a VPN to access your home network securely when traveling.

Have fun friends!