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Homeowners often install physical security features like smart locks and CCTV cameras. That helps, but equally important are the digital security features that protect home dwellers’ devices, and this aspect often gets overlooked. As increasingly sophisticated cyber threats emerge, protecting your digital footprint should be as much of a concern as your physical space. Luckily, digital protection is easier than ever to obtain, thanks to cybersecurity software vendors offering all-in-one bundles.
This guide walks you through the process of setting up your digital fortress by using the right cybersecurity tools and configuring built-in device settings. I’ll start with the simple steps before proceeding to the more technical ones.
1. Update your apps
Updating PC and smartphone apps sounds trivial, but it contributes a lot to digital security. App publishers often discover security bugs and quickly push updates to fix these bugs. If successive updates aren’t installed on your device, that app could be riddled with bugs that malicious actors can leverage to steal data.
I advise turning on app auto-updates so that you don’t have to check manually for updates every time. Whenever an app publisher deploys a new update, it quickly gets installed on your smartphone or PC, protecting you from built-in security flaws.
2. Use strong passwords
When creating accounts, use strong passwords that can’t be guessed easily. It should be more of “wY0435eT!” than “0435eT.” The former incorporates both small and capital letters, figures, and symbols, making them difficult for automated tools to guess. These days, many platforms mandate at least one symbol, figure, and a capital letter in user passwords, highlighting the importance of this advice.
If remembering complex passwords sounds hectic for you, you can use your Chrome or Firefox browser’s built-in password manager. External password managers like 1Password also help.
3. Enable multi-factor authentication
There’s a popular quote from Microsoft that “MFA [multi-factor authentication] can block over 99.9 percent of account compromise attacks.” Multi-factor authentication means requiring at least two modes of identification before granting access to an account. After entering the right username and password, you’ll need to verify your identity through a second step. For most platforms, the second step is a one-time PIN sent to your email address or phone number– entering this PIN is what finally grants access to your account.
With multi-factor authentication enabled, third parties can’t access your account even if they obtain the right username and password. I advise enabling it for all your online accounts for effective security.
4. Secure your home WiFi network
Your home Wi-Fi network is akin to your digital door. Anyone who breaks into it can cart away with a lot of sensitive digital information. You can protect the Wi-Fi network by using a strong password similar to the example I provided above. Anyone who wants to connect would only do so when you give them the password.
Change the Wi-Fi network’s name from the factory default, from something like “Ubiquity123” to “Monica’s home Wi-Fi.” A Wi-Fi router's default name signals its manufacturer and model, and these are enough signals for hackers to leverage vulnerabilities associated with that particular router. You don’t want to give them these signals at first glance.
Update the default username and password that grants access to your router’s internal configurations (it’s often the infamous “Username: admin” and “Password: admin”). Any malicious actor who accesses the internal settings can do a lot of damage, so change these default credentials immediately.
Also, enable auto-updates for your router’s firmware. If the manufacturer discovers a bug, as is often the case, and pushes an update, it’ll be immediately installed to prevent malicious actors from swooping in.
5. Beware of phishing attacks
Phishing is when hackers impersonate trusted brands or persons to trick people into giving up sensitive information like credit card numbers or passwords. Phishing has become increasingly sophisticated, as hackers now employ AI to create professional-looking emails at scale.
To avoid phishing attacks, never click on a link or an attachment from an unknown email sender. For seemingly known senders, verify the sender’s email address and ensure it’s the actual one, not something that looks similar (e.g., paypa1.com used to impersonate paypal.com: the fake one is the number 1, while the real one is the letter l).
Also, remember that legitimate companies would never ask for sensitive information over email or SMS. No bank will ask for credit card information, and no platform will ask for passwords online, so don’t give them out.
6. Use antivirus software
Antivirus software is a very proactive way of defending against cyber threats. It scans all files and programs you’re about to download for suspicious patterns and flags any.
Helped by artificial intelligence (AI) tools, malicious parties have increasingly deployed malware tools at scale. Fortunately, AI systems also help antivirus software discover technically complex threats. With one installed, you have a first-line defense against malware designed to steal data or disrupt device operations.
Along with proactive defense, you can run regular deep scans of your PC or smartphone. The scan could take several hours, depending on the volume of files on a device. Afterwards, you’ll see a list of files found suspicious and can delete them at the click of a button.
A good thing about antivirus apps is that they don’t only offer anti-malware protection. Vendors often bundle antivirus software with identity theft protection, parental control, a password manager, and other security features. For example, Webroot’s Total Protection package provides both an antivirus app, data backup, a VPN, identity protection, and identity theft insurance. A $300 annual subscription, discounted to $150 in the first year, offers these features for 10 devices, a steal compared to paying for a separate VPN, data backup app, and antivirus program.
Building a digital fortress with an antivirus bundle
Along with the steps I’ve described earlier, an antivirus bundle completes the process of turning your home into a digital fortress. The first building block is the antivirus software itself. It functions like a paid security guard who screens every person or object entering your home. Before any file gets downloaded, it’s checked against a malware database, and if it matches, the file is quickly flagged. Antivirus tools also use AI to scan files for unusual malware patterns that won’t be found in a typical database.
A parental control app acts like internal security locks, guiding kids on which places are safe to enter or not. You can block specific web addresses or categories altogether (e.g., gambling). You can set screen time limits, shutting devices off during late hours to avoid interfering with sleep habits. You can remotely monitor which websites your kids visit and take action if needed. Settings are configured remotely from your device, so there’s no need to directly interact with your kids’ PC or smartphone except during the initial setup.
A VPN is another building block in the digital fortress. It encrypts the online traffic for all PCs and smartphones used in your home, preventing third-party snooping. Whether platforms tracking the websites you visit to show personalized ads or malicious actors monitoring browsing activities to find loopholes, a VPN prevents either case.
For maximum effect, turn on the VPN kill switch, a feature that thwarts your internet connection if the VPN is temporarily shut off. This way, that little period when the VPN isn’t functioning wouldn’t allow third parties to snoop on your browsing habits.
The fortress isn’t complete without a password manager. This is akin to the storage box where you sort keys for all rooms in the house. It ensures you know which password to use for every platform and avoid having to reset passwords repeatedly.
Browsers like Google Chrome have built-in password managers. You can store passwords for all your accounts, then automatically fill in the right password when it’s time to sign into any platform. When creating an account from scratch, Chrome also suggests strong passwords to protect your account.
For better convenience, you can choose an external password manager. Platforms like LastPass let you sync passwords across multiple devices and auto-fill them when needed. You can securely share passwords with family, friends, and colleagues through your digital password vault. Likewise, password managers scan data breach databases and alert you if your password was discovered on any.
Identity theft protection is the final part of your digital fortress, akin to the moat built around the castle. An identity theft protection service scans the dark web, people-finder sites, and data leaks for your personal information. If found, you’ll be alerted and can quickly connect with an expert who’ll guide you on the next steps. Some platforms bundle it with identity theft insurance of up to $100,000+.
I’ll also advise using a data backup platform. No one expects to be affected by a cyber attack, but it could happen to anyone. A data backup platform ensures you retain access to sensitive data even if it gets wiped because of a cyber attack. Your data gets automatically backed up at regular intervals, and you can restore it anytime.
What if I said you can build your digital fortress with just one tool? Instead of obtaining building materials from different places, you get a pre-built all-in-one cybersecurity package. That’s exactly what’s offered under the Webroot's Total Protection package. It includes unlimited cloud data backup, parental controls, a VPN, a password manager, identity theft insurance, dark web monitoring, and a sophisticated antivirus.
For $180 per year, discounted to $90 on the first year, you can get Webroot's Total Protection for 5 devices. Families can choose the $300 per year option, discounted to $150 on the first year, for 10 devices. A 14-day free trial lets you test the features before deciding.
