There is a high chance that you or your friends have received a text this month saying that it is your bank, your courier, or even your boss asking for your help urgently. The scammers have become better, and their tools enable them to fix typos, mimic writing styles, and even pretend to speak on the phone using generative tools.

However, to protect yourself from being cheated, it is necessary to form some habits that will secure you and do not require any special knowledge in cybersecurity. This year, it is worth forming these habits again because the previous ones are no longer efficient.

The habits described below will help you protect yourself from scammers easily and will not require a lot of effort.

Rethinking Your Login Method

Password-only protection became an outdated method of protecting users’ information. However, nowadays, there is an opportunity to change the login method. Most popular services, such as email providers or banking apps, provide you with the possibility to log in without using your password by applying passkeys, fingerprints, or a PIN code.

If passkeys are not available yet, the second-best method of protecting yourself is using a password manager. Such a tool generates random passwords for each account and keeps them for you.

The habit you need to form in order to protect your account is to stop reusing passwords and to turn on multi-factor authentication whenever it is possible.

However, not all types of MFA are equally effective. SMS MFA is a worse option compared to authenticator apps and hardware security keys. The first option checks whether you are logging in to the right site. While the other types of MFA require additional steps from users, they turn out to be faster methods. Once passkeys or authenticator apps are attached to your account, it is even easier to log in.

The tips on how to build up such a habit are as follows:

• Start using a passkey or an authenticator app to log in to your email account because it will help you recover all other accounts.
• Check and revoke all applications and devices that have access to your main accounts if you recognize something unfamiliar among them.

Slowing Down Before Acting on a Message

Unfortunately, phishing has not disappeared; it has only become quieter and more sophisticated. Even though it is still possible to detect phishing with the help of grammatical mistakes or a suspicious sender address, now scam messages sound as if they are written by colleagues due to the development of generative technologies.

Moreover, scammers can now create a replica of the sender’s voice using cloning and thus deceive the user.

The habit that is able to help users protect themselves from phishing is taking a pause before acting. Instead of clicking on a message that demands money, passwords, or a change in plans, you should take a breath and check the message via a different channel.

If your bank sends you a text about suspicious actions on your account, it is recommended to call the number indicated on your card. If your colleague sends you an email concerning changing the payment account, it is better to call them instead of responding to their email.

Taking such a pause defeats most scams because urgency is the main weapon of hackers to distract you.

QR codes are also worth mentioning. Now they are widely spread because of restaurant menus and parking systems. Scammers can put a QR code over a legitimate one in public spaces or hide it in PDF attachments and email invoices.

Therefore, if you encounter an unfamiliar QR code, you should check where it leads before scanning. If a QR code appears in an unusual place, it is necessary to be careful.

It is also useful to keep in mind that scammers seldom have to apply tricky technological methods when a person is ready to grant them access. Most scams are based on convincing the user to act urgently. Thus, the habit of slowing down works better than any software.

Keeping Your Software Up to Date

Most successful break-ins do not rely on some rare and complex trick. Usually, they depend on known flaws in outdated software that were eliminated some months ago by vendors.

Turning on automatic updates for your phone, computer, browser, and router helps you stay protected without making additional efforts.

It is also necessary to mention the router separately. It is usually forgotten because it lies at the center of your home network and requires no attention from users.

Log in to the settings of your router this year and check whether it is updated. Change the default admin password if you did not do it in the beginning.

Protecting Your Data on the Go

Today, a lot of work is done on networks that are not controlled by the user, such as airport Wi-Fi, hotspots in cafes, and hotels. They are convenient; however, such networks are common places for scammers to intercept data or establish fake networks with similar names.

One of the reasonable habits in such situations is using a VPN service every time you connect to Wi-Fi networks, especially when you check your email or log in to your bank account.

Using a VPN will ensure that your connection is encrypted, and even though you use a network that cannot be trusted, everything you send and receive will be kept private.

It will not solve all security problems; however, it will make your information secure while you are abroad.

It is less likely to have security problems at home because it is usually a trustworthy network. However, the habit of choosing a reputable VPN provider and using it automatically on unfamiliar networks can prove to be very useful when necessary.

Backing Up Information Before You Need It

Usually, ransomware attacks succeed due to the lack of backups, which causes people to pay a ransom to get their files back.

The habit to form can be backing up important files regularly. Keep a copy of them on another device that is not constantly connected to your computer.

The importance of such disconnection lies in the fact that malware that reaches your device can infect all devices connected to your computer.

Remind yourself to check that your backup runs every few months. Otherwise, it is useless to install it if it silently stops working.

Watching What You Share With AI Tools

People use more AI assistants this year, and it is necessary to consider them as any third-party service. Avoid pasting sensitive information, such as passwords, financial information, or confidential documents, into tools whose data handling is unknown.

Data handling is described in the privacy settings of most reputable tools. However, if you do not know whether it is the right service or not, it is better to avoid using it.

Checking Your Accounts Regularly

The final habit that is almost costless and helps detect problems at an early stage is checking your bank and credit statements regularly and considering the possibility of setting up alerts for unusual activity.

Most data breaches are not detected by the hacked company. A person detects them by noticing an unusual charge on their statement.

Thus, the earlier you notice problems, the less damage they can cause you.

It may include freezing your card, changing passwords, or reporting fraud.

Conclusion

The habits described above do not require any special skills or much effort after being formed. The efforts required are mainly made in advance: switching to passkeys or password managers, turning on MFA, updating your router, adding a VPN to your travel routine, and setting up backups.

From that point, the daily effort is mainly a pause before clicking and some attention to your accounts.

Cybersecurity is not about eliminating all risks, as this is impossible for everyone. It is about making yourself a less attractive target for scammers and hackers, which is usually enough for them to move to another victim.

Forming two or three of these habits this year will be sufficient to put yourself far ahead of others.