Wow January is already gone, can you believe it? How's 2019 going for everyone? It has been a blessing to and for me thus far and I feel great! With the many cyber security classes I have, it's mandatory that I constantly read and have an understanding of privacy and security in every aspect. This past month alone has educated and encouraged me to continue on this journey and reach every one I come in contact with to help them protect their privacy and be secured.
In today's conversation, I want to discuss security from a software perspective as well as the physicality aspects. My inspiration of this topic was stirred up from an altercation I had with a family member. As stated before, we are all learning each and everyday, gaining more knowledge on how to be secured, and improving our techniques and skills for if and when we are found in these kind of situations.
Now this family member meant no harm and i'm sure of it, but if something belongs to me, there's a significant chance it holds a lot of value. My phone, in this instance, has a significant value and holds a lot of my personal information inside. You can be looking at someone and not see what they are doing. Do not be this person. Always be aware and pay attention to everything going on around you. Do not make assumptions about a persons character or intentions no matter how long you've known them or how close you are to them.
Like i said, i'm sure they meant no harm but things can happen whether intentional or not. My family member decided to pick up my phone while unlocked and add their fingerprint as one of the options to unlock my phone. I never even noticed until they unlocked my phone with their thumbprint. My initial reaction was to ask how they had done that if i did not put in my password. Do not create your passcode using your birthday! Do not create your passcode using your graduation date! Do not create your passcode using anything that can be easily figured out! I know you're thinking "She's in cyber and she should know that's in the top 10 rules of passwords." Yes, I did know this but I also always have my phone near or on me. This is still not a good enough excuse and I definitely deleted their fingerprint and changed my passcode.
You can have too much security. It is okay to have just enough security because just enough is always better than too much. One time i tried two-step authentication and couldn't get into my phone. It's best to stick to the basics and if necessary, create that next level of security but make sure to educate yourself through research and reviews. To make a good decision on how to secure an asset of any value is to first identify it and get a true value of it's worth. Remember, our goal is not to eliminate all risks, but to effectively address them.
Before typing in your passcode on your phone, look around to see if anyone's watching. Do you have a privacy screen? If not, you should purchase one and use it on your devices. It allows you to access your information discretely and to keep your content secure from prying eyes. Additionally, it will keep your sensitive information out of view from potential identity thieves who often prey on mobile phone users. Fun fact: my cousin has a privacy screen protector on their phone. This shows you how people will protect themselves but will put you in danger due to thoughtless acts.
Enjoy your Thursday!
If you would like to discuss further, please leave a comment or ask a question. I'd love to chat with my readers and hear your thoughts. Thank you for dropping in and remember ToBeSecured!
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