Well, 2021 is in the books. The world took a collective deep breath after the whirlwind year of 2020 and now we’ve had some time to adjust to the “new normal” that the COVID pandemic brought us.
The global pandemic has brought about dramatic changes in almost every aspect of our lives—healthcare, transportation, education, the way we shop, and even the way we interact with each other一all have taken some wild turns.
Underlying these changes, and perhaps the most pervasive shift, has been the way we use technology and the internet. Between 2019 and 2021 internet usage grew by more than three quarters of a billion people—a figure that took much of the previous five years to reach.
With such a dramatic rise of our lives being online, practicing good cyber hygiene is more important than ever. In the spirit of the new year, we've come up with some resolutions we can all make (and keep) to help our data stay safe online.
New Year’s Resolutions
Let’s say this year you’ve resolved to lose a few pounds, quit smoking, or call your mother more often. That's awesome! We believe in you! But let’s talk about some resolutions we can make in order to stay safe online and practice good cybersecurity habits.
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This year I will not say, “I’ll install those updates later.”
Keeping your devices, applications, and software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to keep your data safe and secure.
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This year I will finally set up multi-factor authentication.
Adding in one additional layer of protection beyond a password on al your accounts, reduces the chances of being compromised by 99.9%.
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This year I will use the password manager I’ve heard so much about.
Password managers store passwords in a digitally encrypted vault, making the user only have to remember one “master password.” UVA provides "LastPass" for free to students, staff, and faculty!
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This year I will stay safe from (computer) viruses.
Installing and routinely updating antivirus software actively protects your devices from computer viruses and other malware. UVA provides Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for Windows and Macs as part of ITS's Office 365 license
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This year I will Back It Up.
Creating routine backups of important files and data on secure hard drives or in the cloud can help protect against data loss in case of corrupted files or a data breach. UVA offers CrashPlan as a backup solution.
Let’s kick off 2022 with some great cybersecurity resolutions that help keep us all safe.