Part 4: Daily Security Habits

Everyday Practices That Keep Me Safe

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🗺️ Series: Overview • Part 1: Recognizing Scams → • Part 2: Essential Tools → • Part 3: Network Security → • Part 4: Daily Habits (current page)

⚠️ Disclaimer

I’m not a certified security professional or lawyer. I’m just sharing my experience and security habits - things I try to follow myself and urge my mom to practice as well. This is not a professional security consultation, nor a legal advice. Your situation may differ. When in doubt, consult with qualified paid professionals.

Security isn’t just about tools and configuration - it’s about daily habits. This final part covers the everyday practices that keep me safe online.

🎯 Bottom Line

Security is a journey, not a destination. Small daily habits compound into major protection over time.

1. I Don’t Trust Free Stuff

There’s no such thing as a free lunch - especially on the internet.

The USB Stick Trap

Scenario: You attend a conference. Someone gives you a free USB stick with “marketing materials.”

What could go wrong:

💀 Real Attack

The Target data breach (2013) started with a compromised HVAC vendor. Hackers infected their system via a phishing email, then used that access to break into Target’s network.

Cost: 40 million credit/debit cards + 70 million customer records stolen, $18.5 million settlement

What I Do

Free USB drives:

Free downloads:

Free WiFi:

2. How I Taught My Family

Security is only as strong as the weakest link. When a family member gets hacked, it affects everyone.

My Annual Security Chat with Mom

Once a year, I sit down with my mom for 30 minutes and we review:

🔑 Pro Tip

Don’t make it preachy. Make it conversational. Share your own mistakes. Make it light and practical.

What We Talk About

With elderly family:

With kids/teens:

With everyone:

Set Up a Security Code Word

My mom and I have a code word. If she gets a suspicious call claiming to be me asking for money, she asks for the code word.

No code word = hang up and call me directly.

3. I Trust My Browser

I trust my browser and keep it updated. Browsers are the first line of defense.

When My Browser Warns Me

If Firefox/Chrome/Safari/Edge shows a security warning, LISTEN TO IT.

Common warnings:

🔐 Important

When I see a browser warning, I don’t click “Advanced” and proceed anyway. I just leave.

I Keep My Browser Updated

Why browser updates matter:

How I update:

🔐 Important Note

Internet Explorer was discontinued in 2022. Anyone still using it should update to Edge immediately!

Browser Security Settings I Enable

Chrome/Edge:

Firefox:

Hacker cat examining a browser page very closely

4. Virtual Machines for Risky Browsing (Advanced)

This is over the top for most people, but I do this when testing suspicious software.

What Is a Virtual Machine?

A virtual machine is a computer inside your computer. Like a sandbox.

If the VM gets infected:

When I Use VMs

Software I use:

🤷 For Most People

You don’t need this. Focus on the basics (password manager + 2FA). But if you’re tech-savvy and want maximum protection, VMs are great.

5. How I Handle Social Media

Social media oversharing is a security risk.

What NOT to Post

Vacation announcements:

Why: Burglars monitor social media for empty houses.

Personal information:

Why: These are common security questions.

Real-time location:

Financial information:

💀 Real Attack

A friend posted on Facebook about going on vacation. Their house was burglarized while they were gone. The burglars literally admitted they found the target on social media.

Privacy Settings I Use

Facebook:

Instagram/TikTok:

LinkedIn:

6. Online Shopping Safety

E-commerce is convenient but risky without proper precautions.

Never Use Debit Cards Online

Use credit cards instead:

Payment Method Hierarchy (Best to Worst)

  1. Virtual credit card numbers (best)
    • Some credit cards offer one-time-use numbers
    • If stolen, useless after first transaction
  2. PayPal / Apple Pay / Google Pay (excellent)
    • Extra layer between merchant and your card
    • Merchant never sees your card number
  3. Credit card (good)
    • Fraud protection
    • Easy to dispute charges
  4. Debit card (avoid)
    • Direct access to your bank account
    • Harder to recover funds
  5. Wire transfer / Zelle (never for strangers)
    • No fraud protection
    • Instant and irreversible

🛒 What I Do

  • All online shopping: Credit card through Apple Pay
  • Sketchy sites: Virtual credit card number
  • Untrusted merchants: PayPal
  • Recurring subscriptions: Dedicated credit card (easier to track)

Shopping Security Checklist

Before entering payment info:

Monitor Your Statements

What I do:

7. Monitor Your Digital Footprint

Identity theft often goes unnoticed for months. Catch it early.

Free Credit Reports

By law, everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each bureau.

Official site: AnnualCreditReport.com

🔑 Important

This is the ONLY official free site. Beware of imposters like “freecreditreport.com” (paid service).

My strategy:

Credit Monitoring Services

Free options:

What they alert you about:

Google Alerts for Your Name

Set up Google Alerts for:

You’ll get notified when you appear online.

Freeze Your Credit (Do This!)

Why freeze:

How to freeze:

🧊 I Froze My Credit in 2020

  • Takes 10 minutes per bureau
  • Completely free
  • Easy to lift temporarily if needed
  • Peace of mind: No one can open accounts in my name

Hacker cat in steampunk glasses with bills in background - credit monitoring

8. What I Did When I Got Hacked

Despite best efforts, it happens. Here’s what I did.

Immediate Actions (First Hour)

  1. Change passwords immediately
    • Start with email (most critical)
    • Use your password manager to generate new ones
    • Change passwords on all important accounts
  2. Enable 2FA if not already enabled
    • Email
    • Banking
    • Social media
    • Any account that supports it
  3. Check for unauthorized access
    • Email: Check “recent activity” / “devices & activity”
    • Banking: Review recent transactions
    • Social media: Check login history
  4. Scan for malware
    • Run full antivirus scan
    • Consider Malwarebytes for second opinion
    • Check browser extensions for suspicious additions

First 24 Hours

  1. Alert your contacts
    • If email was hacked, warn friends about phishing
    • Don’t be embarrassed - it happens to everyone
  2. Check credit reports
    • Look for unauthorized accounts
    • Place fraud alert if needed
  3. Contact financial institutions
    • Bank
    • Credit card companies
    • Investment accounts

First Week

  1. File official reports
  2. Consider credit freeze
    • Freeze at all three bureaus
    • Prevents new accounts from being opened
  3. Document everything
    • Save emails
    • Take screenshots
    • Keep records for insurance/legal purposes

🚨 Emergency Checklist

I keep this printed and in my password manager’s secure notes:

Hacked Email:

  1. Change password immediately
  2. Enable 2FA
  3. Check forwarding rules
  4. Check sent folder for spam
  5. Review recent activity
  6. Warn contacts

Hacked Bank:

  1. Call bank immediately: [phone number]
  2. Freeze accounts
  3. Dispute fraudulent charges
  4. File police report
  5. Place credit freeze
  6. File FTC complaint

Series Recap: The Essentials

This 4-part series covered:

Part 1: Recognizing Scams

Part 2: Essential Tools

Part 3: Network Security

Part 4: Daily Habits (This Part)

🎯 The 80/20 Rule

Doing ONLY these 5 things eliminates 80% of risk:

  1. Password manager
  2. 2FA on email and banking
  3. Change router default password
  4. Don’t click suspicious links
  5. Credit freeze

What I’d Do First If Starting Over

If I were starting fresh, here’s what I’d tackle first (I’d pick three of these):

More Resources

Official Resources

Tools I Use

Learning More

Thank You!

If you’ve made it through all 4 parts of this series, congratulations! You now know more about cybersecurity than 90% of people.

💬 Final Thoughts

Security is a journey, not a destination. Start with the basics (password manager + 2FA) and build from there. Don’t try to do everything at once.

Share this series with someone who needs it. The more people who practice good security, the safer we all are.

Stay safe out there!

  • Nick

Last updated: January 31, 2025

online shopping social media privacy browser security credit monitoring cybersecurity habits