It’s that time of year again. When students start their college
journeys, or return for another academic year. And the last thing any
student wants to be worrying about is cyber security. Here’s our top
tips, so you can check them off your list and get on to the good stuff
this semester. And don’t forget to snag your free 6 months of LastPass
Premium with our education promotion:
https://lastpass.com/edu
Lock that computer - and your phone.
Have you secured your devices, both physically and digitally? Most
devices come with an auto-lock feature, requiring that you re-enter your
password or pin code (avoid birthdays or other personal information).
Also physically lock down your computer by investing in a cable lock,
which allows you to secure it to a desk, reducing the chances of theft.
Avoid sharing too much.
Keeping your friends updated and sharing memories via social media may
seem like second nature these days. But what you share could tell
someone too much - such as indicating when you’re not at home, making
you a target for burglary. Be sure you’ve set the appropriate privacy
settings on your accounts, and be mindful of the data points you share.
Secure your email.
Your email account will be the hub of your college experience. Think of
all the sites and services you use that email address for, and the
network you’ll build with it. Never share your email password with
anyone - and we mean anyone, including close friends. Use a unique
password, and if it’s available, enable multifactor authentication for
your email account.
Generate & protect your passwords.
Speaking of passwords, ensure that all of your passwords are strong,
unique, and known only to you, by using a password manager like
LastPass. LastPass helps centralize the management of your passwords to
one easy-to-use vault. It will also help you generate a mean-looking
password when signing up for a new account. It’s free - and you’ll be
surprised how many accounts you’ll accumulate over the years, so start
now.
Keep software up to date.
Shutting down your browsers, and your computer itself, will initiate
most automatic updates for your computer. But those annoying pop ups and
messages from your task bar? We recommend responding to them when they
appear. The updates include important fixes and improvements - sometimes
addressing serious security issues, so don’t put off responding to
them.
Limit your activities on open WiFi.
Free WiFi is your lifeblood in college. Even if your campus’ network
itself may be password-protected, you never know who’s on the network
with you. Limit your access to sensitive accounts (such as banking) when
you’re on these networks. Consider using a VPN when you’re using open
WiFi as well, which will allow you to surf anonymously and lock down
your connection.
Prepare for loss.
Although we’re all about being proactive and managing risk, sometimes
bad things happen. The best thing you can do is prepare for that loss -
of your computer, your smartphone, any of your gadgets. Backup your
documents and photos on a regular basis. Look into installing software
that lets you remotely access your computer or phone, so you can wipe it
if needed. Also look into software that lets you track your lost
device, so you have a greater chance of recovering it.
To recap what we’ve covered, here’s your full checklist:
- Set your computer to auto-lock.
- Set your smartphone’s pin code.
- Invest in a cable lock.
- Err on the side of caution when sharing online.
- Set appropriate privacy options, so you’re only sharing with friends.
- Use a strong password for your email account.
- Don’t share your email login with anyone.
- Look into security features available for your email account.
- Use a password manager like LastPass to manage your accounts.
- Generate unique passwords to avoid password reuse.
- Respond to all prompts to update your software.
- Restart your computer occasionally to ensure updates are completed.
- Use a VPN if you need to access personal accounts on open WiFi.
- Be mindful of the connection you’re using and what you’re doing on that connection.
- Install tracking software on your computer and smartphone.
- Enable remote wiping of your device, if possible.
- Back up everything to an external hard drive, regularly.
And last but not least, redeem your free Premium credit here:
https://lastpass.com/edu once you’ve signed up for LastPass. LastPass Premium gives you full access to our mobile apps for smartphones and tablets, as well as additional security and productivity features.
