CISA’s Secure Our World guidance highlights four useful habits: stronger passwords, multifactor authentication, recognising phishing and keeping software updated.
Protect your accounts
- Use strong, unique passwords; a password manager can help manage them.
- Turn on multifactor authentication where available.
- Be cautious with messages pressuring you to open a link, send money or reveal a password.
- Install security updates through the device or software’s official update mechanism.
When a message looks suspicious
Contact the organisation through a known official channel rather than replying or using the message’s contact details. Report suspicious messages through the service’s reporting tools.
For downloaded programs, follow our software checklist. These habits reduce risk but do not guarantee protection against every threat.