Family Cyber Safety: 10 Essential Steps
Turn on automatic updates everywhere
Phones, computers, browsers, routers, and apps. Most attacks exploit known holes that vendors have already patched.
Use a password manager and unique passwords
One strong, unique password per account. Let the password manager remember them. If one site is breached, the rest of your accounts stay safe.
Turn on two-step verification on important accounts
Email, banking, social media, and shopping accounts. Prefer an authenticator app over SMS where possible.
Lock down kids' devices and accounts
Set screen-time limits, age-appropriate content filters, and a private profile by default. Talk about who can message them and what to do if a stranger does.
Set up a family rule for unexpected money asks
If anyone, including a relative, asks for money urgently by message, voice, or video, pause and verify on a known number first. Voice cloning is real.
Freeze your credit
A credit freeze stops new accounts being opened in your name. It is free at all three U.S. bureaus and can be lifted in minutes when you actually need credit.
Check the link before you click
Hover or long-press on links to see the real URL. Look for misspellings and lookalike domains. When in doubt, type the company's address into your browser yourself.
Back up what you cannot afford to lose
Photos, documents, and tax records to a cloud service or external drive. Verify a backup actually restores at least once a year.
Tighten your social media privacy
Set profiles to private, hide friends lists, and stop sharing real-time location. Scammers use these details to build convincing scams.
Know what to do when something goes wrong
If a scam happens, change passwords, contact your bank, freeze cards, and report it to the relevant authority in your country. Move quickly, not perfectly.