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How do I protect my personal data and devices? - HOW DO I / Technology / Stay Safe Online - NMIT Support

How do I protect my personal data and devices?

Your online identity and personal data represents a lot of your life, study and wellbeing. The consequences of unknown &/or criminal parties getting access to it are at the very least a huge amount of hassle and worry, and at worst can adversely affect you, your contacts, and your credit rating for years. A whopping 1.3M people fall victim to identity theft annually, so to avoid being one of them make sure you get in the habit of doing this lot…. 

  • Never leave your devices unattended and unlocked. 
  • Put a screen lock pattern / PIN code (ideally 5 digits) on your Smartphone 
  • Windows key + L locks all Windows devices 
  • Always sign out fully from a public PC, including NMIT ones. 
  • Don’t ‘over share’ on social media & know your privacy settings 
  • Backup your personal data regularly 
  • Avoid using flash/pen/USB drives – they’re very insecure and can easily fail/get lost 
  • Auto-sync to cloud files storage services like OneDrive or Google Drive instead 
  • Consider encrypting your data 
  • Use antivirus software and keep it auto updated 
  • Auto-update for Windows/Adobe/Java security updates – your device will perform better too 
  • Don’t download files / attachments from untrusted sources 
  • Upgrading to a new phone/computer? Remove/wipe/erase storage on the old one. 
  • Follow the guidance in our how do I keep my NMIT account secure FAQ 
  • Use the Stop & Think before you Click techniques from other FAQs