Practical advice to reduce your digital footprint and protect your privacy. Focus on what actually matters, not marketing hype.
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Browse your guidesRemove yourself from data brokers, people-search sites, and marketing lists
Lock all three bureaus to prevent identity theft and unauthorized accounts
Stop attackers from hijacking your phone number and bypassing two-factor
Why writing them down can be safer than a password manager
Add a recovery address so family do not lose the account
A 6-digit PIN is easy to watch. Use a real passcode instead
Score the basics and see what to fix first
Behavior changes that cut risk without buying tools
Check off MFA, freezes, and the rest as you go
Let someone you trust into Apple or Google if you cannot
Most scams start with a text or call you did not ask for
The Security Checklist encourages you to adopt a simple ethos: Don't share your data unless required. Opt out where you can. Lock down credit, financial accounts, and email to make them hard to compromise. Use a different password for every site. Limit what you install, and take your security into your own hands.
Don't fall for the marketing fluff. VPNs don't make your browsing any safer or more private. In many cases using them can make your data and accounts less safe.
Read moreFreeze now, fix nothing later. It's painless next to cleaning up a stolen identity.
Read moreSend opt out letters to personal data collection aggregators to make it harder for scammers to find your information and use it against you.
Read moreThe only exception I would make here is for uBlock Origin. But even with them you have to assume they are selling your data.
It's a balance between convenience and security when it comes to storing your passwords. Password vaults are more convenient, but not necessarily more secure. Password vaults are highly targeted and do get hacked.
Read moreCreate custom answers for each site that requires security questions. What is your favorite car? Answer: 8LUE12345987! If you don't do something like this, your security questions will be guessed and your account will get hacked.
Chances are the messages aren't your long lost friend. If they were, they can call and leave a message. Ignore the random messages. They're a trick.
Read moreFree email is harder to reclaim after a hack and support is non-existent. Invest in a paid account you control to safeguard vital financial links and account recovery.
Breaches happen. Don't hand attackers the keys to everything. Unique passwords block their easy wins.
No checkmark equals a bullseye. If MFA's not on, hackers are coming. Protect them before it's too late.
There is a fine line between advertising platforms like MSN, Google, and Yahoo and malware. No judgement if you want to consume this content, but my advice is to do it on your mobile device not your computer.
Keep this in mind when asking if the service will protect your privacy.
Enable content restrictions.
Modern apps use encryption by default and are safe on public WiFi. Websites are secure as long as you don't ignore certificate warnings. Just avoid entering sensitive information on non-HTTPS sites.
Use HaveIBeenPwned.com to check if your accounts or passwords have been exposed in data breaches. Sign up for their free notification service to get alerts when your email appears in new breaches. This helps give you an idea of why it is important to use unique passwords for each site.
Don't put too much dependence on physical backups. You already need a converter to access a USB harddrive on newer USBC only computers. Keep important backups accessible online if you want to be able to access them in 10 years.
Card skimming at gas stations and ATMs is becoming increasingly common. Use tap-to-pay or insert chip options whenever available instead of swiping your card to protect against skimmers.
Most laptop thefts occur from cars. Thieves actively scout parking lots looking for laptop bags. You'll lose both your laptop and get a broken window. Always take your laptop with you.
If you feel your phone might be taken, quickly press the side button five times to require a passcode for unlock. This prevents Face ID or Touch ID from being used. Practice this so you can do it quickly if needed.
Switch from a simple PIN to an alphanumeric passcode for better security. It's harder for someone to observe your passcode when typing letters and numbers.
Read moreGo to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and disable "Allow Apps to Request to Track"
Read moreEnable Screen Time in Settings to monitor and limit app usage and set content restrictions
Read moreReview which apps have access to your location in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection to require a security delay when away from familiar locations.
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and uncheck "Allow Access When Locked" for Control Center to prevent someone from enabling airplane mode if your device is stolen.
Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers to block calls from numbers not in your contacts. They'll go straight to voicemail.
Go to Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders to separate messages from unknown senders into a separate list.
Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and ensure it's turned on. This helps locate your device if it's lost or stolen.
Go to Settings > Emergency SOS and enable "Call with Hold and Release". Practice making an emergency call by holding a volume button and side button together. Release before the call is placed during practice.
Smart TVs are increasingly becoming advertising platforms that degrade over time. Skip the WiFi setup and use an Apple TV or streaming device instead to get smart features without the privacy invasion.
Read moreYou are going to lose or upgrade your phone and need to setup all of your MFA apps again at some point. Always have a backup method back into your sensitive apps. For those that support it, add a physical fob as an MFA method. These devices will also be used to harden other core apps. I recommend Yubi Keys.
Visit Google Account settings > Security > Advanced Protection Program. You'll need two security keys. This blocks most account takeover attempts by requiring a physical key for sign-ins from new devices.
Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Security > Advanced Data Protection. Enable it and add a recovery contact. This encrypts more of your iCloud data and requires trusted devices for access.
Data brokers continuously collect and sell your information. Learn more about protecting your privacy and available opt-out services in our data collection opt-out guide.
Read moreContact your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) and request a PIN/passcode be added to your account. This PIN must be provided for any account changes, preventing unauthorized SIM transfers. This is to prevent SIM swapping attacks.
Read moreEstablish secret phrases with family members for emergency verification. Use these when unusual requests are made, especially regarding money transfers or account access. Never share these codes electronically.
Contact your bank's business or private client services to set maximum daily transfer amounts, enable dual approval for large transfers, add delays for new payment recipients, enable alerts for all wire transfers, and require verbal approval above set limits.
High-profile individuals are typically compromised through SIM swapping (Phone number theft for 2FA bypass), Device theft (Physical access to unlocked devices), Social engineering (Password reset via security questions), Email spoofing (Fake emails using your identity), and Data exposure (Information leaks from breaches).
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