October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it’s a great time to check the locks on your digital front door. Remember, you don’t have to be a tech expert to protect yourself online. A few good habits go a long way, and most take just five minutes to set up.
Here’s where to start.
5 Habits That Keep You Safer Online
1. Use Strong Passwords
A weak password is an open invitation. Make every password:
- Long: At least 16 characters.
- Random: A mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers (and symbols if allowed).
- Unique: A different password for every account, so one leak doesn’t unlock everything else.
2. Let a Password Manager Do the Heavy Lifting
We get it: nobody can remember 30 random 16-character passwords. That’s what a password manager is for! A good one will:
- Store all your passwords in one secure place
- Flag weak or reused passwords
- Generate strong passwords for you
- Fill in logins automatically on sites and apps
With a password manager, you only have to remember one strong master password, and you’re all set.
3. Turn On Multifactor Authentication
Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds a second check when you log in, like a code texted to your phone or generated by an authenticator app. Even if someone steals your password, they can’t get in without that second step. Start with your email. It’s the key that resets every other account.
4. Learn to Spot a Phish
Phishing emails and texts try to trick you into handing over information or clicking a bad link. Watch out for:
- Urgent or alarming language (“Your account will be closed today!”)
- Requests for personal or financial info
- Poor writing or misspellings
- Email addresses or links that don’t quite match the real company
When in doubt, don’t click it. Go to the company’s website directly or call a number you already trust. And if you spot a phishing attempt, report it to your email provider, then delete it.
5. Keep Your Software Updated
Updates patch security holes scammers can exploit. Turn on automatic updates in your device settings and app security settings so you’re protected without having to think about it. That goes for your phone, your computer, gaming consoles, and your smart TV too.
Where Wisper Fits In
Speed is only half the battle of a good internet connection. The other half is using it safely. That’s why Wisper is proud to support Secure Our World, the national campaign behind Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
We also provide the free Wisper Home App to customers on any Wisper plan. This powerful and easy-to-use mobile app puts you in control of your home network, letting you view and manage your security settings remotely while also working in the background to protect your home from malicious websites, viruses, and other intrusions 24/7.
Make sure to pass along these tips to your parents, grandparents, and neighbors too so they can protect themselves as well. A two-minute conversation could save them a lot of trouble.
Got a suspicious message that looks like it came from Wisper, or a question about your connection? Call Wisper support at 800-765-7772 or email us at support@wisperisp.com. We’d rather you check with us than take the chance.