We bang on a bit about online security, and for good reason. We store increasingly sensitive, personal information on our mobile devices, and that doesn’t just mean our phones, with tablets, laptops and more now in the mix. From personal photos, to payment information and access to your bank accounts, it’s more important than ever to secure your personal information in an increasingly connected world.
Security Planner is one such tool which you can use to get advice tailored to your circumstances, for free, and in just minutes. Using their intuitive, responsive web app, you can:
- Select the kinds of devices/services that you use regularly
- Select your top security concerns, including unauthorised account access or better privacy
- Select any areas of particular concern, e.g. online anonymity, harassment, or urgent digital issues
Based on your selections, you’ll receive an Action Plan which includes a number of tips to better secure online accounts, browsing and more.
For example, for me the top recommendation was to enable 2-factor authentication on sensitive accounts. This is something I already do, with Google, Facebook, Twitter, and my online banking. Two factor authentication is something we’ve spoken about frequently before, but basically it adds and extra layer of security – your password, and then something you have (e.g. your mobile phone to generate a secure token).
Other suggestions include learning to identify suspicious emails, how to check account privacy settings with common services, and access to free services like Access Now which offers direct technical assistance for digital security emergencies.
There are countless other variants, but what matters most is that you can tailor the recommendations for your circumstances. Head over to the Security Planner website for more information to get your personalised Action Plan, or if you want to browse all the recommendations, you can do that too.
