Laptops are a necessity of personal and professional life – but have you thought about how secured yours is? With increasing incidents of cyber-attacks, data theft and snatching, laptop security is becoming more important than ever. From proprietary business data to personal selfies, our laptops contain volumes of data that are valuable to cybercrooks.
PORTLAND (WGME) — If you have a laptop, these are tips you can use to make sure it’s secure and your data is safe. If you don’t know a lot about technology, or even if you do, following some basic security practices can keep you more protected on the internet and should hardly inconvenience you at all.
Why Laptop Security Matters
There’s more to protecting your laptop than installing an antivirus program. Laptops are mobile, which makes them both easier to steal physically and to attack online. According to Kensington research, there will be a stolen laptop with an interval of 53 seconds in United States, if you still don’t see the importance of strong data security measures?
What’s more, laptops on public networks (say, in a coffee shop or airport) can be pretty vulnerable to hackers who’d like to snoop on your data. Your personal as well as professional details can end up in the wrong hands without appropriate security measures, creating financial risk, privacy violations or damage to your reputation.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can secure your laptop in the best way possible and keep your data safe.
Key Laptop Security Tips
Enable a Strong Password
It may sound simplistic, but it’s your laptop’s first layer of defense. Authenticating with poor or easy-to-guess passwords means that access to your data may be compromised. Use, instead, a good password with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Use phrases instead of words to make it difficult to guess.
💡 Pro Tip: A wise way to avoid this, and to keep your devices safe from hacking, is to use a password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords for all of your tech items.
Employ MFA — or Not Tens Factor Authentication (2FA)
MFA to log in to laptops is now supported by many laptops. This means you will have to confirm your login with a second factor, such as a fingerprint scan, text message code or authentication app. Even if someone gets hold of your password, multifactor authentication is an additional layer of protection that drastically decreases the likelihood it will result in a security breach.
Keep Your Software Updated
Many times, hackers use outdated software to try to get in. Be sure to apply the latest security patches on your operating system, web browsers and installed apps.
For instance, Microsoft and Apple regularly patch security flaws on their monthly update release schedules based on what hackers are doing with known flaws. This procedure can be even further simplified through automatic updates.
Encrypt Your Data
Encryption jumbles up your information so that uninvited readers cannot understand it. For most of us, we have casual trips with the family ofnt to worry about that because we’re storing our work documents on fancy schmancy, super duper modern laptops that have all this fancy schmancy, super duper encryption, like BitLocker for Windows or FileVault for Macheads. Consider enabling these features to protect your sensitive files, in case your laptop ever disappears or is stolen.
Be Discriminating About Public Wi-Fi
Public WiFi is famously dangerous. These networks are easily hackable, and it’s simple for hackers to intercept data that is being sent out. Do not access any personal or financial information while using public Wi-Fi.
If you are someone who is constantly on public Wi-Fi, you may want to consider purchasing a VPN. That way, your internet traffic is encrypted and an extra layer of security is added.
💡 Pro Tip: Never assume the safety of public Wi-Fi networks. For instance, “CoffeeShopWifiFree” might not be the one run by the coffee shop you’re currently in.
Install Security Software You Trust
Protection with a good antivirus or malware programme is a must for anyone with a laptop. It’ll keep an eye on your device for malware, spyware, and other bad stuff, and it even provides extras like firewall administration and phishing protection.
Some of the highest-rated options are Norton, McAfee, and Bitdefender. And don’t forget to keep your security software up to date so it will be most effective.
Keep it Safe from Physical Theft
Never think laptop theft can never happen to you? Think again. If you are working in a café or another location, always sit where you can see your laptop. Physically secure your laptop using a cable lock when working in a public space, or simply carry it in a locked bag or lock it in a locker.
Additionally:
As in “terrorist big time,” the strategy of planning, preparation, and persistence. Don’t leave your laptop in your car.
There’s also the option to dissuade thieves with a visible engraving or sticker.
💡 Pro Tip: Turn on remote location and wiping capabilities. Services like “Find My Device” on Windows or macOS can help track down a missing or stolen laptop and remotely wipe its data.
Back Up Your Data Regularly
Despite the plethora of security in place, you can still have oopsies and breaches. Frequent data backups allow you to get back important files if your system is stolen or experiences other problems.
You also might want to get an external hard drive to back up your data, or cloud storage through Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud. As an optional standard of verification, you can protect your backups by clicking the Encrypt backup checkbox.
Remain Picky with Downloads and Links
Malware, either distributed by phishing email or from questionable downloads, is also a frequent tool in the arsenal of cybercriminals. Check the source when you want to download software or click a link, especially if it is sent by an unknown person.
Do not download unofficial free software as these usually contain malware. You can stay on the safe side by downloading apps from reputable app stores or the developers’ official websites.
Disable Unused Features
There are also potential security vulnerabilities when laptops have by default settings such as Bluetooth or file sharing enabled. Turn these features off if they are not currently utilized. For example:
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In public spaces, disable Bluetooth if you’re not using it.
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Turn off your file-sharing when you don’t need it.
How Laptops Are Getting Smarter About User Security
You may not have realized that new laptops actually come with advanced security features built right in. For example:
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Windows Hello: The front-facing integrated camera enables face authentication to allow you to log in easily and securely with just one look.
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Mac T2 Chip: The T2 chip integrates multiple controllers and provides the foundation for secure boot. Enables encrypted storage on 2020 MacBook Air computers using the T2 chip.
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Biometric Sensors: Faster, more secure logins courtesy of the fingerprint reader.
These improvements make it more crucial than ever to wield the tools available to stay ahead of potentially calamitous threats.
Take Control of Your Laptop’s Security
Laptop security doesn’t have to be daunting. By applying these pointers, you can cut the chances of such leaks, theft or malware infections.
If your gadget is password-protected, locked down, and has strong security software, you’re halfway to being safe from nearly every dark cloud on the horizon. Throw in VPN usage, anti-physical theft measures, and back-ups, and this is a fairly complete laptop security approach.
Indeed, by being proactive today, you will save yourself from headaches tomorrow. Don’t wait for it to be too late!
You can also read this: Mobile Security Essentials: How to Protect Your Devices and Data
