Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is a principle that you should abide by in a digital environment. Sure, receiving a malicious link or a file from someone you trust so much that you would just click on the link without double-checking (even hovering a cursor over it) is bad, but your profile could also be used to send these files/links.
In a digital environment, no person’s online presence is an isolated island. Everything is connected, and being reckless with your cybersecurity puts others at risk, as well. With that in mind, here are the top seven ways you can protect others in a digital environment.
- Use antivirus
You’re using antivirus to protect others, not just yourself. This is one of the main reasons why even people who are on Linux-based systems are advised to use antivirus apps. It’s never just you on the network, and even if your own system cannot be affected, you’re a danger to others.
By using antivirus, you’ll reduce the chance of sending something malicious and reduce the risk of an account takeover (something we’ll discuss in the next segment a bit more). This means that you won’t put yourself in a position where others can use your own online presence (and your good name) to infect others.
This is especially important if you’re on a large network. According to tech expert Krishi Chowdhary from Techopedia, it’s not just your antivirus software that matters. What kind of antivirus and plan you’re using matters, as well. Therefore, this is not a decision that should be made hastily. Take your time and do your research.
(Source: https://www.techopedia.com/antivirus/best-antivirus-software)
The bottom line is that this is a choice that will affect more than just you. This is why making the right choice matters.
- Create a strong password
Imagine your chat with your best friend leaking. In how big of a trouble would you be? Just think about all the gossip, screenshots, and selfies shared in this chat. What about that one group chat with the most unhinged memes shared, each of which would get you canceled or fired?
Well, the other people have the same sentiment toward their chat with you, which is why it’s your responsibility to keep them safe.
The first step is to create a strong password and introduce 2FA (two-factor authentication). This will minimize the chance of your accounts being taken over and a malicious party gaining access to your private chats or logs.
Also, make sure that you pick a single-purpose password for these accounts. Otherwise, if the pass is compromised somewhere else, everything is compromised.
Moreover, even in the workplace, you’re mostly relying on cloud-based platforms and storage. This is why cybersecurity matters more than ever before. In other words, by being too reckless, you’re putting company assets at risk, as well.
- Use encrypted communication
Most of the time, you’ll have contact with the person you’re talking to on multiple IM software and platforms at the same time. There’s even that joke about conversations with the same person on different platforms can be completely in tone. For instance, you may use Viber to talk to your coworker about work-related issues, use Instagram DMs for memes, and gossip in Facebook chat.
The bottom line is that all three of these platforms are encrypted, but there are a few chats out there that aren’t. Make sure to prioritize encrypted tools and conversations over their less secure counterparts.
Also, when talking about work-related issues, make sure to stick to official platforms. Exchange this sort of information via email or Slack (or any other official line of communication you may have with the rest of the team).
This is not just playing by the rules so you don’t get in trouble. There’s a reason why these means of communication are set as default.
- Regularly update your software
Your software is designed to protect you from most threats, and for the most part, it does a pretty decent job. However, it can only do so if it’s up to date.
Now, most of the time, these updates are automatic. This will just happen in the background and possibly be applied the next time you restart your device. Sometimes, if you haven’t restarted in a while, it could even ask you to restart manually.
However, there are instances where, due to some bug or your own missclick an update is missing.
It really doesn’t take you that long to manually check if there’s an update missing and to initiate the update yourself. Sure, no one expects you to do so every single time you’re using software, but developing a habit of checking every now and then could have incredibly beneficial repercussions down the line.
- Implement parental controls
Now, let’s discuss how you can directly protect your children in a digital environment. The best way to do so is to use parental controls. This way, you can restrict what kind of content your kids are watching online.
Just having this tool is not enough. After all, you have to be familiar with the content first to understand what is not suitable for kids.
Another great thing that these parental control apps do is give you a chance to limit your kids’ screen time.
We don’t want to sound old, and it’s true that mastering touch technology will benefit them more in their academic and professional career than most games we played as kids, but everything should be done in moderation.
- Report suspicious activity
You would be surprised to learn how many clear and obvious threats just fly under the radar because no one bothered to actually report them.
Be honest about the last few times you saw an Instagram story where one of your friends or followers complained about a fake account. Did you report it? Probably not, because you assumed that others would do so, and there’s no real need for you to do so.
The bottom line is that you have to see these matters as your personal responsibility. Why rely on other people to do your work for you? Instead,
- Talk to people about cybersecurity
Raising awareness is more important than you think, and people are more likely to listen to you in person than actually read the posts that you’ve sent them. This is especially the case if you give them concrete examples of all that could happen if they’re negligent.
While this is technically not an online method of protecting people (unless this conversation is taking place via chat, voice call, or video call), it is a way to keep people safe online.
- Tell people about the dangers of using the same password on multiple platforms.
- Explain how it would be easy for anyone who can see their profile on Facebook to figure out their anniversary (which makes it a horrible password).
- Tell them about the dangers of phishing.
If you can “teach” them just these three things, you’ll already help them out immensely.
You should feel some responsibility as a member of the online community
Ultimately, you should see the collective online security as a part of your own responsibility. Even if you don’t feel this way toward random strangers online, keep in mind that you are more likely to infest or compromise your own friends and coworkers. In other words, paying more attention to these things always makes sense, and it definitely pays off.
