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At Security in Depth, our commitment is to simplify cyber security for everyone, particularly focusing on the mature members of our community in Australia. We understand the importance of providing clear, accessible advice that empowers individuals to safeguard their online presence effectively. This guide is specifically tailored for Australians aged 50 and above, though the principles we discuss are universally applicable, offering valuable insights for individuals at any stage of their cyber security journey. This guidance comes from a place of respect and understanding, designed to be engaging yet straightforward for senior readers.
Navigating the role of tech support for older family members, such as parents or grandparents, is a common experience. Findings from Security in Depth's research indicate a significant portion of the Australian population actively supports their older relatives in enhancing their cyber security. This involvement underscores the collective effort in fostering a safer digital environment for all.
When assisting a senior with their online safety, the focus should be on relevance and simplicity. Addressing the most likely threats such as phishing, malware, identity theft, and various scams is crucial. Understanding and leveraging their existing knowledge about technology will make the learning process smoother and more effective.
For those who have encountered online threats, discussing their experiences openly can provide valuable learning opportunities. This conversation can guide them towards making safer choices in the future.
Simplifying Cyber Safety: Key Tips
Navigating the Digital World Safely
The internet is an invaluable resource for connection and information, yet it comes with its risks. Awareness and proactive measures can significantly mitigate the threat of online scams targeting seniors. By adopting basic internet safety practices, akin to defensive driving, individuals can enjoy a secure online experience.
Security in Depth encourages all Australians, especially our senior community, to remain vigilant and informed about the evolving landscape of cyber threats. Our team is dedicated to offering support and advice to those in need. For further assistance or to learn more about protecting yourself online, please contact Security in Depth.
From banking to shopping, and streaming to social media, people are spending more time than ever online. Cyber Aware is the government's advice on how to stay secure online.
Check out this great video
Why it’s important to take special care of your email password.
We're often told that the passwords to access our online accounts should be really strong, and not to use them anywhere else. This is especially true for the password for your email account. If you've used the same password across different accounts, cyber criminals only need one password to access all your accounts.
Always use a strong and separate password for your email; that is, a password that you don’t use for any of your other accounts, either at home or at work.
Applying security updates promptly will help protect your devices and accounts from cyber criminals.
You should apply updates to your apps and your device's software as soon as they are available. Updates include protection from viruses and other kinds of malware, and will often include improvements and new features.
If you receive a prompt to update your device (or apps), don’t ignore it. Applying these updates is one of the most important (and quickest) things you can do to keep yourself safe online.
You should also turn on 'automatic updates' in your device's settings, if available. This will mean you do not have to remember to apply updates.
Turning on 2FA / MFA is one of the most effective ways to protect your online accounts from cyber criminals.
You should protect your most important accounts (such as email, banking, social media and online shopping) by making sure you have 2-step verification turned on for each of them.
2-step verification (2SV), which is also known as two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA), helps to keep cyber criminals out of your accounts, even if they know your passwords. The NCSC recommend you take time to set up 2-step verification on all your important accounts, even for ones that you've protected with strong passwords.
Need help remembering all your passwords? Get a password manager.
We're often told that the passwords for our online accounts should be really strong, and to not use the same password anywhere else. Especially for those important accounts like email, banking, shopping and social media.
The trouble is, most of us have lots of online accounts, so creating different passwords for all of them (and remembering them) is hard.
This is where a password manager can help. A password manager (or a web browser) can store all your passwords securely, so you don’t have to worry about remembering them. This allows you to use unique, strong passwords for all your important accounts (rather than using the same password for all of them, which you should never do).
How to make sure you can recover your important photos, documents, and other personal data stored on your IT equipment.
Most of us at some point have been unable to access important data, whether it's work documents, photos, videos, contact details or other personal information.
This page explains why you should make backups, and the types of backup techniques available. It also contains links to detailed backup instructions from Microsoft, Apple and Google.
Making backups doesn't take very long, and can usually be set up to take place automatically. So a little planning in advance to make backups could save you a lot of stress should the worst happen.
Combine three random words to create a password that’s ‘long enough and strong enough’.
Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds. The longer and more unusual your password is, the harder it is for a cyber criminal to crack.
A good way to make your password difficult to crack is by combining three random words to create a password (for example applenemobiro). Or you could use a password manager, which can create strong passwords for you (and remember them).
Avoid the most common passwords that criminals can easily guess (like ‘password’). You should also avoid creating passwords from significant dates (like your birthday, or a loved one’s), or from your favourite sports team, or by using family and pet names. Most of these details can be found within your social media profile.
If you’re thinking of changing certain characters in your password (so swapping the letter ‘o' with a zero, for example), you should know that cyber criminals know these tricks as well. So your password won’t be significantly stronger, but it will be harder for you to remember.
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