Passwords are still everywhere, but they are also one of the easiest security tools to misuse. People forget them, reuse them, make them too short, save them in unsafe places, or accidentally type them into fake login pages. Biometrics, like fingerprints or face recognition, can make everyday account security faster and harder for criminals to guess.

If your phone, laptop, banking app, password manager, or payment app supports biometric sign-in, consider turning it on. It can help protect sensitive personal and financial information while making secure logins easier.

What does it mean to use biometrics for security?

Biometric authentication uses a physical characteristic, such as a fingerprint or face scan, to confirm that the person trying to unlock a device or app is the authorized user. The FTC explains in its two-factor authentication guidance that authentication factors include “something you know,” like a password, “something you have,” like a security key or verification code, and “something you are,” like a fingerprint, face, or retina.

For consumers, biometrics usually show up as:

• Fingerprint unlock on phones and laptops
• Face recognition on smartphones
• Biometric approval for banking apps
• Fingerprint unlock for password managers
• Face or fingerprint approval for passkeys
• Biometric confirmation for mobile payments

Are biometrics safer than passwords?

Biometrics can be safer than relying on passwords alone because a fingerprint or face scan is harder to guess, reuse, or accidentally share in a phishing message. A criminal can trick someone into typing a password into a fake website, but the criminal cannot easily make the person’s device release a biometric-protected credential to the wrong site.

That is why biometrics work especially well when paired with passkeys. The FIDO Alliance explains in its passkeys overview that passkeys let users sign in with the same process used to unlock a device, such as biometrics, a PIN, or a pattern, instead of entering a password.

Microsoft also explains in its passkeys documentation that passkeys use origin-bound public key cryptography and require local user interaction, which helps make passkeys resistant to phishing.

How big is the password problem?

Passwords remain a major weakness because stolen credentials fuel account takeovers. The FIDO Alliance notes in its passkey resource center that passkeys are designed to move users away from passwords, which it says are responsible for 80% of breaches today.

Even if a person uses strong passwords, criminals still use phishing, data breaches, malware, and credential stuffing to break into accounts. Biometrics and passkeys reduce that risk by making account access depend on the trusted device and the person using it.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Using biometrics helps someone become safer online because it makes secure behavior easier. When unlocking a device or approving a login takes a quick fingerprint or face scan, people are less tempted to create weak passwords, reuse old passwords, or stay logged in everywhere.

Biometrics can help protect:

• Banking and payment apps
• Email accounts
• Password managers
• Healthcare portals
• Shopping accounts
• Social media profiles
• Cloud storage
• Work and school apps
• Job-search accounts with personal information
• Devices that store photos, messages, and documents

The FTC’s personal information security guidance recommends protecting online accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication because online accounts may contain a lot of personal information.

When should you use biometrics?

Use biometrics anywhere the account or device stores sensitive information. Start with the accounts that would cause the most harm if someone else accessed them.

Best places to enable biometric security

• Phone lock screen: Protect the device that holds texts, email, photos, apps, and payment tools.
• Banking apps: Add biometric approval to reduce unauthorized access.
• Password manager: Make secure passwords easier to use without exposing the master password.
• Payment apps: Require biometric confirmation before sending money.
• Email apps: Protect the inbox that controls password resets.
• Cloud storage: Lock down files, photos, tax documents, and personal records.
• Work apps: Protect business messages and documents on personal devices.

What are the limits of biometrics?

Biometrics are powerful, but they are not magic. You should still use a strong device PIN or password as a backup. If an account supports passkeys, enable them. If an app supports multifactor authentication, use it.

Keep these tips in mind:

• Do not use an easy backup PIN like 1234 or a birthday.
• Do not share your device unlock code.
• Keep your phone and laptop updated.
• Use a password manager for accounts that still require passwords.
• Turn on multifactor authentication for important accounts.
• Remove biometric access for anyone who no longer needs it.
• Lock your device before handing it to someone else.
• Report lost or stolen devices quickly.

CISA’s phishing-resistant MFA fact sheet says multifactor authentication makes it harder for cyber threat actors to gain access when passwords or PINs are compromised, while also noting that phishing-resistant MFA offers stronger protection than some traditional methods.

How to get started with biometrics

Use this quick setup checklist:

1. Enable fingerprint or face unlock on your device.
2. Create a strong backup PIN or passcode.
3. Turn on biometric login for banking and payment apps.
4. Enable biometric unlock for your password manager.
5. Switch to passkeys when trusted apps and websites offer them.
6. Keep multifactor authentication turned on.
7. Review device security settings every few months.

Biometrics can make security easier, faster, and stronger than passwords alone. Use fingerprint or face unlock for your device, sensitive apps, password manager, and passkeys whenever available. Then back it up with strong passwords, multifactor authentication, and regular software updates.

Staying logged in is convenient. You open your laptop, visit your favorite shopping site, email account, streaming app, bank, or job board, and everything is ready to go. No password. No verification code. No delay.

But that convenience comes with a risk: if a device is shared, lost, stolen, or infected with malware, an active login session can make it easier for someone else to access your account. Logging out when you’re finished is a small habit that can help protect your personal information, money, messages, and identity.

Why should you log out of websites when you’re done?

When you sign in to a website, the site usually creates a session so it can remember that you are authenticated. The OWASP Foundation explains in its session hijacking overview that attackers may try to compromise a valid session token to gain unauthorized access to a web server.

In plain English, a session token can act like a temporary key. If someone gets access to that key, the person may be able to interact with the website as if the person were you.

Logging out helps end that session so the temporary access key is no longer useful.

What is session hijacking?

Session hijacking happens when an attacker gets access to a valid session cookie or session token and uses the token to impersonate the account owner. OWASP’s Web Security Testing Guide explains that an attacker with access to user session cookies can impersonate that user by presenting those cookies.

Attackers may try to steal session data through:

• Malware on a device
• Unsafe browser extensions
• Phishing links
• Man-in-the-middle attacks
• Public or compromised Wi-Fi
• Cross-site scripting attacks
• Shared computers
• Stolen or unlocked devices

You cannot control every website’s security, but you can control whether you leave active sessions open longer than necessary.

How does logging out help someone become safer online?

Logging out helps someone become safer online by reducing the time an account stays open and available for misuse. This matters most when using shared devices, public computers, workstations, school laptops, library computers, or any device someone else might access.

Logging out can help protect:

• Email accounts
• Banking and payment apps
• Shopping accounts
• Social media profiles
• Healthcare portals
• Job search accounts
• Cloud storage
• Work or school platforms
• Streaming and gaming accounts

This habit also helps if a website is left open in a browser tab. Closing a tab does not always end a session. Logging out tells the service that you are done.

How big is the account security risk?

Online account access is a major target for criminals. The FBI reported in its 2024 Internet Crime Report announcement that the Internet Crime Complaint Center received 859,532 complaints in 2024, with reported losses exceeding $16 billion, a 33% increase from 2023.

That statistic includes many types of internet crime, but it reinforces a simple point: criminals constantly look for ways to get into accounts, steal information, and commit fraud. Ending sessions you no longer need is one more layer of protection.

When should you always log out?

You do not need to panic about every session, but some situations deserve extra caution.

Always log out when you:

• Use a public or shared computer
• Use a friend’s or family member’s device
• Access financial, healthcare, or tax accounts
• Use a work or school computer
• Sign in from a hotel business center or library
• Finish applying for jobs on a shared device
• Use a browser that is not your own
• Access email or cloud storage
• Sell, donate, or return a device
• Notice suspicious account activity

If the account contains sensitive information, log out when you are done.

Why use a password manager if you log out more often?

People stay logged in because logging back in can feel annoying. A password manager solves that problem by making secure logins easier.

The FTC’s personal information security guidance recommends strong passwords and notes that password managers can create strong passwords for online accounts.

A password manager helps you:

• Use unique passwords for every account
• Avoid password reuse
• Log back in quickly
• Store long passwords safely
• Spot fake login pages more easily
• Reduce the temptation to stay logged in everywhere

Pair your password manager with multifactor authentication whenever possible. The FTC’s two-factor authentication guidance explains that passwords are vulnerable to cyberattacks and that two-factor authentication makes accounts more secure.

How to make logging out a safer habit

Use this quick checklist:

• Log out of sensitive accounts first
  Prioritize email, banking, healthcare, cloud storage, and work accounts.
• Do not save passwords on shared devices
  Use your own password manager instead.
• Clear browser data on public computers
  Remove browsing history, cookies, and cached files when possible.
• Turn off “remember me” on shared devices
  Avoid persistent sessions outside your own device.
• Use device locks
  Set a strong PIN, password, fingerprint, or face unlock.
• Check active sessions
  Many services let you view and sign out of other devices.
• Enable multifactor authentication
  MFA adds protection if someone steals or guesses your password.
• Update browsers and apps
  Security updates help close known vulnerabilities.

What should you do if you forgot to log out?

If you left an account open on another device:

1. Sign in from your own device.
2. Look for “security,” “privacy,” or “active sessions” settings.
3. Choose “log out of all devices” if available.
4. Change your password if the device was public or untrusted.
5. Turn on multifactor authentication.
6. Review recent account activity.
7. Remove unknown devices from the account.

If the account involves money, healthcare, taxes, or work, act quickly.

Remaining logged in saves time, but it can also keep the door open longer than necessary. Log out when you finish using sensitive websites, especially on shared or public devices. Then use a password manager and multifactor authentication so logging back in stays easy and secure.

Your Wi-Fi router, baby monitor, smart camera, thermostat, doorbell, printer, and other connected devices may arrive with a default username and password. Sometimes those credentials are printed on a sticker. Sometimes they are listed in a manual. Sometimes they are as simple as admin/admin or admin/password.

That may make setup easier, but it also gives cybercriminals an easy target. If your device still uses a default password, attackers may be able to guess the login, take control, spy on activity, or add the device to a botnet.

Why are default passwords dangerous?

Default passwords are risky because attackers often know them already. Router and device manuals can be public, and lists of common default credentials circulate online. If a device is exposed to the internet or reachable from your home network, criminals may try those logins automatically.

CISA’s home Wi-Fi security guidance says default router information may be publicly available and calls changing the router login username and password “crucial.”

That applies beyond routers. Any smart device with an admin login deserves the same treatment.

What devices should you check first?

Start with devices that connect to your network or control something in your home.

Check default passwords on:

• Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems
• Modems and gateways
• Baby monitors
• Security cameras
• Smart doorbells
• Smart locks
• Printers
• Network storage drives
• Smart TVs
• Thermostats
• Gaming consoles
• Smart speakers and hubs
• Home office devices

If a device has an app, web portal, admin panel, or setup page, it likely has security settings worth reviewing.

How do hackers use default passwords?

Hackers use default passwords because they are fast and cheap to test. Attackers can scan for exposed devices, try common login combinations, and compromise weakly protected hardware without needing sophisticated tricks.

CISA’s IoT security guidance warns that attackers can infect large numbers of connected devices at once and use them as part of a botnet to attack other computers or devices.

A compromised smart device could be used to:

• Join a botnet
• Spy through a camera or microphone
• Change router settings
• Redirect web traffic
• Attack other devices
• Access files or network services
• Slow down your internet connection
• Help criminals hide malicious activity

How big is the threat?

Connected-device security matters because cybercrime keeps growing. The FBI said its 2024 Internet Crime Report announcement combined 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and reported losses exceeding $16 billion, a 33% increase from 2023.

Default passwords are just one risk, but they fit into a larger pattern: criminals look for the easiest way in. Do not make your home router or smart camera that easy door.

How does changing default passwords help someone become safer online?

Changing default passwords helps someone become safer online because it removes one of the simplest ways attackers break into home devices. A strong custom password forces criminals to work harder and helps protect everything connected to the same network.

This habit helps protect:

• Your Wi-Fi network
• Connected phones and laptops
• Smart cameras and microphones
• Personal photos and files
• Home office devices
• Streaming and gaming accounts
• Banking and shopping activity
• Children’s connected devices
• Smart home privacy

The safer mindset is simple: if a device connects to the internet, treat its password like a front-door key.

How to change default passwords safely

Use this step-by-step checklist when setting up any router or smart device.

Step 1: Find the admin settings

Look for the device’s app, setup website, or web admin panel. The manufacturer’s official user guide should explain where to change the administrator password.

Step 2: Change the admin username if possible

If the device lets you change “admin” to a unique username, do it. This gives attackers one less easy guess.

Step 3: Create a strong, unique password

Use a password manager to create and store a long password. If you need something memorable, use a passphrase made of several unrelated words.

Step 4: Change the Wi-Fi password too

Your router admin password and Wi-Fi password are different. CISA’s home Wi-Fi guide recommends changing the Wi-Fi password and using a memorable passphrase of 5 to 7 unrelated words totaling at least 16 characters.

Step 5: Update the firmware

Firmware updates fix known vulnerabilities. CISA’s home router security guidance recommends updating router security settings and changing default login credentials because default usernames and passwords are well known to attackers. [

Step 6: Disable remote admin access if you do not need it

Most people do not need to manage a home router from outside the house. Turn remote management off unless you understand the risk and need the feature.

Step 7: Put smart devices on a guest network

If your router supports a guest network, use it for smart home devices. This can help separate less-secure gadgets from laptops, phones, and work devices.

Quick home device password checklist

Before you finish setup, confirm:

• You changed the default admin password
• You changed the default Wi-Fi name and password
• You installed firmware updates
• You disabled unused features
• You turned off remote admin access
• You saved passwords in a password manager
• You reviewed privacy settings for cameras and microphones
• You replaced unsupported devices that no longer receive updates

Default passwords are convenient for setup, but dangerous for everyday use. Change them on your router, baby monitor, smart camera, printer, and every connected device you bring into your home.

Shortened URLs make long web addresses easier to share, especially in texts, social posts, QR codes, and emails. Unfortunately, shortening also hides the destination. A link such as bit.ly/3Example gives you no obvious way to tell whether it leads to a trusted website, a fake login page, or a malware download.

Cybercriminals exploit that uncertainty. If an unexpected message contains a shortened link, pause before clicking—even when the sender appears familiar.

Why can shortened URLs be dangerous?

A shortened URL redirects your browser through a shortening service before sending you to its final destination. Legitimate businesses use these services for marketing and analytics, so a short link is not automatically malicious. The problem is that you cannot easily inspect the real domain before opening it.

Attackers may hide links to:

• Fake Microsoft or Google login pages
• Counterfeit banking websites
• Bogus delivery-tracking pages
• Malware downloads
• Fake job applications
• Fraudulent payment portals
• Lookalike social-media sign-ins
• Subscription and prize scams

According to CISA’s phishing guidance, criminals use malicious sites to steal login credentials and links to deploy malware for follow-on attacks.

How big is the phishing-link threat?

Phishing remains one of the most frequently reported forms of cybercrime. CISA’s guidance for recognizing phishing cites 193,407 phishing complaints in the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, making phishing the most reported cybercrime category that year.

The wider financial impact is even more alarming. The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report announcement says IC3 received 1,008,597 complaints in 2025, with Americans reporting nearly $21 billion in losses from cyber-enabled crimes.

A shortened link is only one possible delivery method, but it gives scammers an effective way to conceal where a click will go.

How can you check a shortened URL safely?

Do not open a suspicious link just to see where it leads. Instead, inspect it without visiting the destination.

Use this step-by-step process

1. Copy the link without opening it
   On a computer, right-click and select “Copy link address.” On a phone, press and hold carefully, but avoid tapping the preview.
2. Check for unusual context
   Ask whether you expected the message. Urgent delivery problems, account warnings, prizes, payment requests, and unexpected job offers deserve extra scrutiny.
3. Use a reputable URL-expansion or reputation service
   A link-expansion tool can reveal a short URL’s destination. A site-reputation service may also indicate whether security systems have flagged that destination. Remember that no checker guarantees a link is safe.
4. Inspect the final domain
   Focus on the registered domain, not just words elsewhere in the address. For example, microsoft.support-example.com belongs to support-example.com, not Microsoft.
5. Visit the organization independently
   Open the company’s official app, use a saved bookmark, or type its known address into the browser instead of following the message link.
6. Delete and report the message if uncertainty remains
   A legitimate request can usually be verified through another channel.

CISA recommends verifying suspicious messages through a known contact method instead of replying or using a phone number or link supplied in the message.

What warning signs should you look for?

Treat a shortened URL as especially suspicious when the message:

• Creates urgency or threatens account closure
• Claims you missed a delivery
• Promises a refund, reward, or prize
• Asks you to verify a password
• Requests payment or banking information
• Comes from an unknown number or new connection
• Uses a recognizable brand but an unfamiliar sender
• Arrives as an unexpected recruiter or job offer
• Includes spelling errors or an unusual tone
• Pressures you not to contact the company directly

The U.S. Department of State’s phishing guidance explains that scammers create trust or fear to stop people from thinking critically before surrendering passwords, card numbers, or other personal information.

Does HTTPS mean a shortened link is safe?

No. HTTPS means the connection between your browser and the website is encrypted. It does not prove the organization behind the website is legitimate.

A phishing site can use HTTPS while stealing every password or payment detail you enter. Always verify the final domain, the sender, and the reason for the message.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Learning to inspect shortened URLs helps someone become safer online by replacing an impulsive click with a verification step. That protects against:

• Password theft
• Malware infections
• Fake job applications
• Banking fraud
• Account takeover
• Identity theft
• Social-media impersonation
• Fraudulent payment requests

This habit is especially useful for job seekers because fake recruiters frequently use texts, social messages, and unfamiliar application links. A real-looking company name does not prove that the shortened destination belongs to that company.

What should you do if you already clicked?

If you opened a shortened link but entered nothing, close the page and run a security scan if the site downloaded anything or behaved strangely.

If you entered information:

• Change the exposed password from a trusted device
• Change reused passwords on other accounts
• Turn on multifactor authentication
• Sign out of active account sessions
• Contact your bank if you submitted payment information
• Scan the device for malware
• Monitor accounts for unauthorized activity
• Report cyber-enabled crime through the FBI’s official IC3 portal and consumer scams through the FTC’s ReportFraud portal.

Shortened URLs are not always dangerous, but they conceal information you need to make a safe decision. Reveal the destination, inspect the real domain, and verify the request through an official app or website. If you still feel uncertain, delete the message.

When you travel with a laptop, phone, tablet, camera, or other electronic device, where you pack it matters. Checked luggage can be delayed, damaged, opened for inspection, or sent to the wrong destination. Keeping important devices in a carry-on bag—or, even better, a backpack that stays with you—gives you more control over their physical and digital security.

It also helps you follow important battery-safety rules. The FAA recommends keeping smartphones, tablets, cameras, and laptops in accessible carry-on baggage, especially because crews can respond more quickly if a lithium battery overheats in the cabin.

Why should electronics go in carry-on luggage?

Your devices contain more than expensive hardware. They may hold email, saved passwords, personal photos, financial apps, work documents, tax records, identification scans, and access to cloud accounts.

Keeping devices with you can:

• Reduce the chance of loss or theft
• Protect devices from rough baggage handling
• Prevent exposure to extreme temperatures
• Let you notice overheating or damage
• Keep personal and work information within reach
• Make devices available during delays
• Help you remove batteries if a bag gets gate-checked

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Reports specifically track mishandled baggage, which includes checked bags that are lost, damaged, delayed, or pilfered.

Are laptops and phones allowed in checked bags?

Many devices with installed batteries may be permitted in checked luggage under specific conditions, but carry-on storage is generally the smarter choice. If a device must go into a checked bag, the FAA says it should be completely switched off—not left in sleep or hibernation mode—and protected against damage and accidental activation.

Always check the latest rules from your airline, the TSA, and the aviation authority for your destination because requirements can vary by device, battery size, airline, and country.

What cannot go in checked baggage?

Spare lithium batteries and power banks require extra attention. The TSA requires spare lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries, power banks, and battery charging cases to travel in carry-on baggage only.

Keep these items out of checked bags:

• Power banks
• Portable phone chargers
• Spare laptop batteries
• Loose camera batteries
• Cellphone battery cases
• Other uninstalled lithium batteries

Protect loose terminals with the original packaging, a battery case, separate bags, or tape so they cannot touch coins, keys, or other metal objects and short-circuit.

How big is the battery-safety risk?

Lithium-battery problems are not theoretical. Based on FAA incident records, 93 aviation incidents involving lithium batteries smoking, catching fire, or producing extreme heat were reported in 2025, including incidents involving battery packs, phones, electronic devices, and laptops.

The FAA cautions that its incident list contains only events known to the agency and should not be considered a complete record.

Accessibility matters during an overheating event. Inside the cabin, passengers and crew may notice smoke or heat and respond. A device buried in checked baggage is harder to monitor and reach. The FAA’s lithium-battery guidance explains that cabin crews can mitigate smoke and fire incidents more readily when devices remain accessible.

How does carrying devices with you make you safer online?

Keeping devices in your personal item helps someone become safer online because physical security and cybersecurity directly connect. If someone steals or gains access to an unlocked laptop, the person may not need to “hack” it remotely.

Keeping devices close can reduce the risk of:

• Unauthorized physical access
• Email or social account takeover
• Exposure of saved passwords
• Theft of work documents
• Loss of private photos and messages
• Access to banking or payment apps
• Malicious USB connections
• Tampering with device settings

A secure carry-on does not replace strong digital protections, but it adds an important defensive layer.

How should you pack electronics for travel?

Use this step-by-step checklist before leaving home:

1. Place essential devices in a personal item
   Keep your phone, laptop, tablet, and camera in a backpack or under-seat bag when possible.
2. Use a padded compartment
   Protect screens, ports, and cases from impacts.
3. Keep power banks in the cabin
   Never place them in checked luggage.
4. Protect spare battery terminals
   Store batteries separately so they cannot short-circuit.
5. Charge devices before traveling
   Security personnel may ask you to power on a device.
6. Install updates before departure
   Update your operating system, browser, apps, and security software on a trusted network.
7. Back up important files
   Use encrypted cloud storage or a secure backup before the trip.
8. Lock every device
   Use a strong PIN or password and enable biometrics where appropriate.
9. Turn on device-finding features
   Enable Apple Find My, Google Find Hub, or the appropriate device-location service.
10. Enable multifactor authentication
    Protect email, cloud storage, banking, and work accounts if a device disappears.

What if the airline gate-checks your carry-on?

Overhead space can disappear quickly. If an airline asks you to gate-check your carry-on, remove:

• Phones, laptops, and tablets
• Power banks
• Spare lithium batteries
• Medication
• Identification
• Keys and wallets
• Sensitive work documents

The FAA explicitly says travelers must remove spare batteries and portable chargers if a carry-on is checked at the gate and keep those items accessible in the cabin.

Store valuable electronics in a carry-on bag, and keep the most important devices in a backpack or personal item that stays with you. This protects your hardware, personal data, account access, and travel plans while helping you comply with lithium-battery safety rules.

Vacation photos are fun to share. A beach sunset, airport selfie, hotel view, or family adventure can keep friends updated while you travel. Unfortunately, posting those memories in real time can also tell strangers where you are—and where you are not.

The safer approach is simple: take all the photos you want, but wait until you return home to post them.

Why is posting vacation photos in real time risky?

A real-time travel post may reveal your current location, destination, schedule, hotel, transportation plans, and how long you expect to be away. It may also suggest that your home is unoccupied.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance’s travel safety guidance recommends delaying vacation posts until after returning home because real-time updates can signal that your home is empty.

Even a harmless-looking photo can reveal details such as:

• Your hotel or vacation rental
• An airport, gate, or flight number
• Your travel dates
• A conference or event location
• Your children’s location
• Landmarks near your current position
• License plates or room numbers
• Boarding passes containing travel information
• A predictable daily routine

You may trust your followers, but you cannot always control screenshots, resharing, compromised accounts, or who can see a friend’s interaction with your post.

Can travel photos reveal your location?

Yes. Your location may appear in the post, caption, background, check-in, or photo metadata. Social platforms and camera apps may also access location information if you have granted permission.

CISA’s social media cybersecurity advice recommends disabling geotagging and limiting posts about vacation plans because location details can help criminals target people, loved ones, and physical property.

Watch for details beyond an obvious location tag. A photo could display:

• A hotel name on a key card
• A boarding pass barcode
• A street sign or storefront
• A rental car license plate
• A child’s team or school name
• A reflection revealing the surroundings
• An itinerary visible on another screen

Before taking or sharing a photo, scan the entire frame—not just the main subject.

How can criminals misuse travel posts?

A criminal does not need an exact home address in the vacation post. Public profiles, old posts, people-search sites, property records, and stolen data may provide the missing pieces.

Real-time travel information can support:

• Burglary or package theft
• Location tracking
• Personalized phishing messages
• Fake travel-support calls
• Impersonation of hotels or airlines
• Emergency scams sent to relatives
• Account-recovery attempts while you are distracted
• Social engineering aimed at coworkers

The NSA’s social media safety guidance warns that exposed travel itineraries, schedules, locations, addresses, and relationships can contribute to identity theft, monetary loss, loss of property, and targeted spear-phishing.

How big is the broader online threat?

Travel oversharing is part of a much larger personal-data problem. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report announcement states that IC3 received 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime in 2024, with reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase over 2023.

Waiting to post will not prevent every crime. However, it denies scammers and other bad actors timely information that could make a targeted attack more convincing.

How does waiting make someone safer online?

Waiting until you return home helps you become safer online because it breaks the connection between your posts and your real-time location.

This simple habit can:

• Keep your current location private
• Avoid publicly confirming that your home is empty
• Reduce clues available for targeted scams
• Protect the schedules of family and travel companions
• Give you time to remove sensitive details
• Reduce impulsive oversharing
• Let you review privacy settings before posting

You still get to share the experience—just without providing a live map of your movements.

How to share vacation photos more safely

Use this practical travel-photo checklist:

1. Take photos now and post later
   Save your vacation album until everyone returns safely.
2. Turn off camera geotagging
   Review location permissions for your camera and social media apps.
3. Avoid live check-ins
   Do not tag your hotel, restaurant, airport, or attraction while you are there.
4. Inspect the background
   Crop out room numbers, boarding passes, street signs, license plates, and identification.
5. Review your audience
   Limit posts to people you know, but remember that privacy settings cannot prevent screenshots.
6. Ask travel companions before posting
   A friend’s post can reveal your location even when you stay quiet.
7. Avoid publishing your full itinerary
   Share plans privately with trusted contacts who genuinely need them.
8. Secure your accounts
   Use unique passwords and multifactor authentication so a compromised account cannot expose private posts or messages.

Travel photos make great memories, but they do not need to become real-time location alerts. Capture the moment, disable geotags, protect your itinerary, and post the highlights after you return.

Setting an out-of-office auto-reply is convenient. It tells people you are unavailable, manages expectations, and keeps your inbox from feeling ignored. But if your auto-reply shares too much, it can also give strangers useful information about your schedule, location, coworkers, travel plans, or home being empty.

A safer auto-reply keeps things simple: “I’m currently unavailable and will reply when I return.”

That is enough for most situations.

Why should your out-of-office message be vague?

Your auto-reply may go to anyone who emails you, not just trusted contacts. That includes unknown salespeople, scammers, newsletters, compromised accounts, fake recruiters, phishing senders, and people testing whether your email address is active.

Cybercriminals use small details to make scams more convincing. The FBI’s guidance on spoofing and phishing explains that criminals may disguise email addresses, sender names, phone numbers, or website URLs to convince people they are interacting with a trusted source.

If your auto-reply says exactly where you are, when you will return, who covers for you, and how to reach that person, you may hand a scammer a useful script.

What information should you avoid in an auto-reply?

A detailed auto-reply can reveal more than you intend. Avoid putting unnecessary personal, travel, or business details in messages that may go outside your trusted circle.

Do not include:

• Exact vacation dates
• Travel destination
• Hotel, conference, or event names
• Personal phone number
• Home status, such as “away for two weeks”
• Coworker names and direct email addresses when not needed
• Internal job responsibilities
• Approval authority, such as “I approve invoices”
• Emergency contact details
• Personal plans, family details, or location updates

A vague message protects privacy and still sounds professional.

How can scammers use an auto-reply?

Scammers can use auto-replies to improve phishing and social engineering. The FTC’s phishing guidance says scammers use email or text messages to trick people into giving passwords, account numbers, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive information.

An overly detailed auto-reply can help scammers:

• Confirm your email address is active
• Learn when you are not available
• Target coworkers while you are away
• Impersonate you with more confidence
• Send fake urgent requests
• Reference a real trip, event, or date
• Try to reset accounts while you are less likely to notice
• Build a more believable business email compromise attempt

The less you reveal, the less a criminal can reuse.

How big is the phishing risk?

Phishing remains one of the most common cybercrime categories. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report announcement said the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center received 859,532 complaints in 2024, with reported losses exceeding $16 billion, and listed phishing/spoofing among the top three cybercrimes by complaint volume.

That does not mean every auto-reply causes a scam. It means attackers constantly look for small pieces of information that make scams easier to personalize.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Being vague in an auto-reply helps someone become safer online by limiting information exposure. Cybersecurity is not only about antivirus software and passwords. It is also about reducing the clues strangers can collect about your life.

A safer auto-reply helps protect:

• Your travel plans
• Your home address and physical safety
• Your coworkers and contacts
• Your work responsibilities
• Your email account
• Your personal schedule
• Your identity
• Your organization or household from impersonation scams

The rule is simple: share only what the sender needs to know, not everything they might want to know.

What should a safe auto-reply say?

Use a short, neutral message for most situations.

Safer auto-reply examples

Simple and secure

Thank you for your message. I’m currently unavailable and will reply when I’m able.

Professional but vague

Thank you for reaching out. I’m away from email at the moment and will respond as soon as possible.

For business inboxes

Thank you for your message. I’m currently unavailable. For general assistance, please contact our main support channel.

For job seekers

Thank you for your message. I’m currently unavailable and will respond as soon as I can.

For high-risk roles

Thank you for your message. I’m unable to respond right now. Please use established company channels for urgent matters.

What if people need urgent help?

If someone truly needs a backup contact, avoid sending a specific person’s direct information to every external sender. Instead:

• Use a shared mailbox
• Use a general support address
• Use a main office number
• Use an online help center
• Set different internal and external auto-replies when your email platform allows it
• Tell trusted contacts directly before you leave

The CISA guidance on avoiding social engineering and phishing attacks explains that attackers use human interaction to obtain or compromise information, and may use information from one source to make a later contact seem more credible.

Quick auto-reply privacy checklist

Before turning on your auto-reply, ask:

• Does this reveal where I am?
• Does this reveal when my home may be empty?
• Does this identify coworkers unnecessarily?
• Does this reveal internal processes?
• Does this tell scammers when I am not monitoring email?
• Could this message help someone impersonate me?
• Can I make this shorter and more general?

If the answer is yes, simplify it.

Your auto-reply should manage expectations, not publish your schedule. Keep it short, vague, and professional. Avoid exact dates, travel details, personal information, and unnecessary backup contacts.

Kids learn fast online. They can stream videos, play games, message friends, search for homework help, download apps, and explore new websites in minutes. That freedom can be great, but it also comes with risks. A clear set of computer safety rules helps children understand what they can do, what they should avoid, and when to ask for help.

The goal is not to scare kids away from technology. The goal is to give them boundaries that match their age, maturity, and experience so they can use the computer with more confidence and less risk.

Why should families set computer safety rules for kids?

Children need online rules for the same reason they need rules for crossing the street. Digital spaces can be helpful, but kids may not always recognize unsafe content, suspicious links, fake downloads, online strangers, or privacy risks.

The FTC’s guidance on using parental controls says talking with children about family rules and expectations is key to helping them build good online habits. Parental controls can help reinforce those rules, but they work best when kids understand why the rules exist.

Good computer safety rules can cover:

• How long a child can use the computer
• Which websites are allowed
• Which apps or programs are approved
• What games are okay to play
• Whether downloads are allowed
• Who the child can message online
• What personal information must stay private
• What to do if something feels confusing or unsafe

How does this help someone become safer online?

Setting child computer safety rules helps kids become safer online by teaching them to pause, ask questions, and recognize risky situations before clicking, downloading, chatting, or sharing. Instead of relying only on filters, parents help children build judgment.

This helps children learn to:

• Avoid suspicious websites and pop-ups
• Ask before downloading games or apps
• Keep personal information private
• Recognize unsafe messages from strangers
• Understand why screen time limits matter
• Tell a parent when something feels wrong
• Use technology for learning, creativity, and fun without unnecessary risk

A rule like “ask before installing anything” can prevent malware. A rule like “do not share your school, address, phone number, or plans” can protect privacy. A rule like “come get me if someone online makes you uncomfortable” can keep a small problem from becoming a bigger one.

How common are online safety concerns for families?

Online safety is a real concern for parents and kids. The Family Online Safety Institute’s 2025 online safety survey found that 89% of children said they feel comfortable talking to their parents if something online makes them feel unsafe. That statistic is encouraging because it shows how powerful open conversations can be.

Rules matter, but trust matters too. Kids are more likely to ask for help when they know they will not immediately lose device access or get blamed for making a mistake.

What computer rules should parents create?

Start with simple rules children can remember. Adjust them as the child grows.

Suggested family computer safety rules

• Use the computer in approved spaces
  Keep younger children’s computer use in common areas when possible.
• Ask before visiting new websites
  Help children learn which websites are safe, educational, and age-appropriate.
• Ask before downloading anything
  Games, browser extensions, apps, mods, and “free” tools can hide malware or unwanted ads.
• Keep private information private
  Children should not share their full name, address, school, phone number, passwords, or family plans.
• Only talk to approved contacts
  Set clear rules about messaging, chat features, multiplayer games, and social platforms.
• Follow screen time limits
  Create computer time rules that leave room for sleep, schoolwork, meals, chores, and offline activities.
• No purchases without permission
  Kids should ask before buying game currency, subscriptions, upgrades, or apps.
• Tell a parent about anything confusing or scary
  Make sure children know they can ask for help without getting in trouble.

Should parents use parental controls?

Yes, but parental controls should support the rules, not replace the conversation. The FTC’s parental control guidance explains that many tools can help parents manage screen time, restrict content, view website and app activity, limit communication, and restrict purchases.

Use parental controls to:

• Block age-inappropriate content
• Set device time limits
• Restrict unapproved apps
• Require permission for downloads
• Limit purchases
• Manage who can communicate with your child
• Review activity together

The FTC’s Protecting Kids Online resource also emphasizes helping kids make good decisions and stay safe online, which is why rules and conversations should grow along with the child.

How to set up child computer safety rules step by step

Use this quick plan:

1. Talk first
   Explain that rules exist to keep the child safe, not to punish.
2. Pick age-appropriate limits
   Younger children need stricter boundaries. Older children may need more independence with check-ins.
3. Write the rules down
   A simple family computer agreement makes expectations clear.
4. Set up parental controls
   Match settings to the rules you discussed.
5. Review approved sites and apps together
   Let the child ask questions and suggest safe options.
6. Create a help phrase
   Encourage the child to say, “Can you look at this?” when something feels off.
7. Revisit rules regularly
   Update limits as school needs, maturity, and technology change.

Child computer safety rules help families turn online safety into a daily habit. Set clear boundaries, use parental controls where helpful, and keep the conversation open. The safest kids are not the ones who never make mistakes. They are the ones who know when to stop and ask for help.

Cookies make the web more convenient, but they also leave a trail. Websites use cookies to remember logins, keep items in your shopping cart, save preferences, and personalize what you see. That can be helpful, but over time, old cookies can also let websites and advertisers keep track of activity long after a person stops visiting those sites.

Clearing cookies every so often gives your browser a fresh start. It can improve privacy, reduce outdated tracking, and help remove information stored by websites that no longer need it.

What are browser cookies?

The FTC’s Internet Cookies guidance explains that a cookie is information saved by a web browser when a person visits a website, allowing that site to recognize the same device in the future.

Cookies can be useful because websites may use them to:

• Keep a person signed in
• Remember site preferences
• Save shopping cart items
• Provide locally relevant content
• Track pages viewed on a website
• Deliver personalized ads

Not all cookies are bad. Some cookies make websites work properly. The privacy concern comes from cookies that remain stored for long periods or help companies track activity across websites.

Why should you clear cookies every so often?

Clearing cookies can reduce the amount of stored website data sitting in a browser. The FTC’s How Websites and Apps Collect and Use Your Information article explains that websites may use cookies, pixels, device fingerprinting, and advertising identifiers to collect information about online activity.

That means cookies can help companies remember what someone clicked, searched for, viewed, or added to a cart. If a person no longer uses a site, keeping that old cookie may not provide much value. Clearing cookies removes stored site data and can reduce persistent tracking from sites that no longer matter.

How does clearing cookies help someone become safer online?

Clearing cookies helps someone become safer online because it limits how much old browsing data stays available in the browser. This protects privacy and reduces the chance that outdated site data, old sessions, or unnecessary trackers continue following online activity.

This habit can help:

• Remove old site preferences and stored browsing data
• Reduce tracking from websites no longer visited
• Sign out of sites on shared or family devices
• Fix some website loading or formatting problems
• Limit personalized ads based on older browsing activity
• Reduce clutter from years of accumulated site data
• Encourage better browser privacy habits

Think of cookies like digital notes websites leave in a browser. Some notes are useful. Others become outdated. Cleaning them out regularly keeps the browser less cluttered and more private.

How big is the online privacy risk?

Online activity can connect to real financial risk when scammers, fake sites, and deceptive ads enter the picture. The FTC’s Top scams of 2024 alert reported that people lost more than $3 billion to scams that started online in 2024, compared with about $1.9 billion from more traditional contact methods like calls, texts, or emails.

Clearing cookies will not stop every scam, but it supports a bigger privacy mindset: share less, store less, and regularly clean up the data trail companies and websites collect.

What happens when you delete cookies?

Deleting cookies can change how websites behave. Google’s Delete, allow, and manage cookies in Chrome support page notes that deleting cookies may sign a person out of sites that remember the person and may delete saved preferences.

After clearing cookies, a person may need to:

• Sign back in to websites
• Re-enter some preferences
• Rebuild shopping carts
• Accept or reject cookie banners again
• Load some pages slightly differently at first

That is normal. The privacy tradeoff is often worth it, especially on shared computers, older devices, or browsers used for shopping, banking, job searching, and social media.

How often should you clear cookies?

There is no one perfect schedule. A practical approach works best.

Consider clearing cookies:

• Once a month for everyday browsing
• After using a shared or public computer
• After visiting unfamiliar shopping sites
• After troubleshooting a broken website
• After researching sensitive topics
• After a major browser cleanup
• Before donating, selling, or sharing a device

If clearing all cookies feels inconvenient, delete cookies from specific sites instead. Microsoft’s Manage cookies in Microsoft Edge: View, allow, block, delete and use support page explains that Microsoft Edge lets users view, allow, block, and delete cookies, including cookies from specific sites.

How to clear cookies safely

Use this simple browser privacy checklist:

• Clear cookies from sites you no longer use
  Start with old shopping, travel, forum, gaming, and coupon sites.
• Keep passwords in a password manager
  Do not rely on cookies to keep important accounts accessible.
• Review third-party cookie settings
  Third-party cookies can support cross-site tracking.
• Use private browsing for one-time searches
  Private mode can reduce local browsing history after the session ends.
• Sign out after sensitive sessions
  Always sign out of banking, healthcare, email, and work accounts.
• Clear cookies on shared devices
  Do this before another person uses the same browser.
• Update your browser
  Browser updates often include privacy and security improvements.

Cookies are useful, but they should not live in your browser forever. Clearing them every so often helps reduce tracking, improve privacy, and remove information stored by sites you no longer visit.

Before you type your name, email, phone number, payment details, address, or résumé into a website, take a minute to ask one important question: Do I trust this company with my information?

Cybercriminals often build fake stores, fake service websites, fake job portals, fake subscription offers, and fake support pages that look professional enough to pass a quick glance. Their goal is simple: collect your personal information, steal your payment details, or trick you into signing up for something unsafe.

Doing business only with credible companies is one of the easiest ways to protect your privacy online.

Why should you check a company before sharing information?

Every online form creates a data exchange. When you place an order, request a quote, apply for a job, download a guide, or create an account, you may give a business information that scammers can misuse.

The FTC recommends that shoppers “shop around and check out sellers and products” before buying online in its online shopping guidance, which is especially important when a company asks for sensitive information or payment details.

A credible company should make it easy to understand:

• Who operates the website
• What the company sells or provides
• How the company uses your information
• How to contact customer support
• What the return, refund, or privacy policies say
• Whether other customers report a trustworthy experience

If a website hides basic details, treat that as a warning sign.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Choosing credible companies helps someone become safer online by reducing exposure to scams, identity theft, payment fraud, spam, and phishing. You are not just protecting one purchase. You are protecting the personal data that can connect to your email, bank account, home address, phone number, and online accounts.

This habit helps you:

• Avoid fake stores and scam websites
• Reduce unwanted marketing and spam
• Keep payment details away from criminals
• Protect your address and phone number
• Avoid fake job applications that harvest identity data
• Limit the number of companies holding your personal information
• Spot privacy risks before you click “submit”

The safer mindset is simple: if a company does not look trustworthy, do not reward it with your data.

How big is the risk from online scams?

Online scams are not rare. The FTC reported in its top scams of 2024 update that people lost more than $3 billion to scams that started online in 2024, compared with about $1.9 billion from more traditional contact methods like calls, texts, or emails.

That number shows why privacy checks matter. A suspicious website can look like a normal checkout page, job application, travel deal, online course, or subscription offer until it is too late.

What makes a company credible online?

A trustworthy company should leave a clear and consistent trail. Before sharing information, look for signals that the business is real and accountable.

Check these trust signals

• Clear company name: The site should identify the business behind the offer.
• Real contact information: Look for a physical address, working customer service email, phone number, or support portal.
• Privacy policy: The site should explain what personal information it collects and how it uses or shares that information.
• Return or refund policy: Shopping sites should explain returns, delivery, cancellations, and refunds.
• Secure checkout: Payment pages should use HTTPS and trusted payment processors.
• Consistent branding: Logo, domain name, email address, and page design should match.
• Independent reviews: Look beyond star ratings and check multiple sources.
• No pressure tactics: Be careful with countdown timers, “final warning” pop-ups, or deals that demand immediate action.

The FTC advises consumers to read reviews critically, check several sources, and search the company or product name with words like “complaint” or “scam” in its online shopping advice.

What are red flags that a company may not protect your privacy?

Walk away if a company raises privacy or credibility concerns.

Avoid businesses that show these warning signs

• No real contact information
• No privacy policy
• No clear refund or cancellation policy
• Prices that seem far below normal market value
• Misspelled domains or copied brand names
• Requests for unnecessary personal information
• Payment by gift card, crypto, wire transfer, or payment app only
• Poor grammar throughout the site
• No company history or online footprint
• Reviews that look fake, repetitive, or overly generic
• A checkout page that redirects to a suspicious domain

The FTC says its scams guidance can help people learn how to avoid, report, and recover from scams, which makes it a good resource when something about a company feels off.

What should you do before submitting personal information?

Use this quick privacy checklist before typing anything into a website.

1. Search the company name
   Add words like “scam,” “complaint,” “review,” or “refund.”
2. Read the privacy policy
   Look for what data the company collects, how long it keeps the data, and whether the company shares the data.
3. Verify contact details
   Make sure the phone number, email, business address, or support page looks legitimate.
4. Check the domain carefully
   Watch for misspellings, extra words, odd endings, or lookalike brand names.
5. Use a credit card when possible
   Credit cards often provide stronger dispute options than debit cards or cash-like payment methods.
6. Share the minimum information required
   Do not provide your birthdate, Social Security number, driver’s license, or banking information unless the request is necessary and verified.
7. Use unique passwords
   If you create an account, use a password manager and never reuse passwords.
8. Report suspicious businesses
   If a company appears fraudulent, the FTC’s ReportFraud.gov accepts reports about scams, companies, and bad business practices.

Your personal information has value. Before doing business online, check whether the company is credible, transparent, and privacy-aware. If a website hides who it is, pressures you to act fast, or asks for too much information, close the tab and choose a safer option.

A new friend request or LinkedIn connection can feel like a networking win. Maybe the person claims to be a recruiter, a former coworker, a local professional, or someone who shares your interests. But before you accept, pause for a few seconds and verify that the account looks real.

Cybercriminals use fake social media profiles to build trust, send malicious links, skim personal information, spread scams, and target job seekers. The safer move is simple: inspect the profile before you connect.

Why should you verify friend requests and LinkedIn connections?

Fake accounts work because people trust social proof. If a profile has a polished photo, a real company name, mutual connections, and a friendly message, the request may look safe. Scammers know this and often copy real branding, use AI-generated profile photos, or impersonate recruiters and professionals.

According to the FTC’s 2024 scam roundup, people reported losing money more often when contacted through social media, and social media scams caused $1.9 billion in reported losses that year. That makes every unexpected request worth a closer look.

How do fake social media accounts steal information?

Fake profiles often start slowly. A scammer may connect first, like a few posts, send a casual message, and then introduce a link, file, job opportunity, investment tip, giveaway, or “urgent” request.

Fake accounts may try to:

• Send phishing links
• Promote fake job offers
• Steal your resume or personal details
• Harvest your workplace, location, and contacts
• Send malware through attachments
• Impersonate a recruiter or employer
• Build credibility through mutual connections
• Move the conversation to text, WhatsApp, Telegram, or email
• Push crypto, investment, romance, or shopping scams

The FTC’s 2026 social media scam data explains that scammers may hack accounts, exploit what users post to target victims, or use ads and platform tools to reach people by age, interests, and habits.

Why are job seekers especially at risk?

Job seekers often expect messages from strangers. That makes fake recruiter accounts more believable. A scammer may claim to represent a well-known company, offer a remote role, ask for your resume, request identity documents, or send a fake onboarding link.

The FTC’s 2024 scam roundup reported that job scams and fake employment agency losses grew from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million in 2024, which shows how aggressively scammers target people looking for work.

If you are job hunting, treat every new connection as a lead to verify, not a person to trust automatically.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Double checking connection requests helps someone become safer online by reducing exposure to phishing, malware, identity theft, and social engineering. When you verify who is connecting with you, you protect more than your social feed. You protect your inbox, your job search, your personal information, and your professional reputation.

This habit helps you:

• Keep scammers out of your network
• Reduce malicious links in your messages
• Limit who can view your personal details
• Avoid fake recruiter traps
• Protect your contacts from impersonation scams
• Stop criminals from using your profile to build trust with others

The security mindset is simple: a connection request is access. Treat it like one.

How to spot a fake friend request or LinkedIn connection

Before accepting, check for these warning signs:

• The profile was created recently
• The profile has very few posts or interactions
• The photo looks overly polished or generic
• The job title sounds vague or inflated
• The person has few credible connections
• The profile uses copied company branding
• The message is generic or overly flattering
• The person pushes a link immediately
• The person asks to move off-platform quickly
• The offer sounds too good to be true
• The profile has inconsistent work history or location details

The FTC warns that social media gives scammers low-cost access to billions of people and makes targeting easier, which is why suspicious outreach deserves extra caution.

What should you do before accepting a request?

Use this quick verification checklist:

1. Review the full profile
   Look for real activity, consistent details, and a believable history.
2. Check mutual connections carefully
   Mutual connections do not prove the person is real. Scammers connect widely to look legitimate.
3. Search the person outside the platform
   Look for a company bio, portfolio, or matching professional footprint.
4. Verify recruiters through the company website
   If someone claims to recruit for a company, check whether the person uses a company email domain.
5. Avoid clicking first-message links
   Do not click links or download files from new connections.
6. Limit visible personal information
   Hide your phone number, birthdate, personal email, and home address from public profiles.
7. Decline, report, and block suspicious accounts
   If the account feels off, do not engage. Report the profile and block it.

What should you do if you already accepted a fake account?

If you accepted a suspicious request:

• Remove the connection
• Block and report the account
• Do not click any links the account sent
• Delete suspicious messages
• Review your profile privacy settings
• Change passwords if you shared login information
• Turn on multifactor authentication
• Warn mutual contacts if the account was spreading scams

Accepting a fake connection can invite phishing, scams, malware, and identity theft into your digital life. Slow down, verify the profile, and decline anything suspicious.

File sharing is useful when you want to open a document from a laptop on your desktop, move photos between devices, or access a shared family folder at home. But when file sharing stays enabled everywhere, your device may expose more than you intended, especially on public Wi-Fi, shared apartment networks, hotels, airports, schools, coworking spaces, and guest networks.

The safe rule is simple: turn on file sharing only when you need it, only on trusted private networks, and only for specific folders.

What is file sharing on a computer?

File sharing lets one device access files stored on another device over the same network. For example, a desktop computer might share a folder so a laptop can open or copy files from it.

That sounds harmless, but the risk depends on what you share, who is on the network, and how the sharing permissions are configured. The FTC’s peer-to-peer file sharing guidance warns that when file sharing software is not configured properly, files not intended for sharing may become accessible to other users.

Why should you turn off file sharing on public networks?

Public and shared networks are unpredictable. You usually do not know who else is connected, whether the network is secure, or whether someone is scanning for exposed devices.

CISA’s wireless network security guidance explains that unsecured wireless networks can allow unintended users to monitor traffic, steal personal files, or access exposed systems. That is why file sharing should stay off when using coffee shop Wi-Fi, hotel Wi-Fi, airport Wi-Fi, campus networks, library Wi-Fi, or any network you do not control.

How does turning off file sharing help someone become safer online?

Turning off file sharing helps someone become safer online by reducing the number of ways strangers, malware, or unauthorized users can reach private files. Cybersecurity professionals call this reducing your attack surface.

This habit helps protect:

• Tax documents
• Resumes and job search files
• Family photos
• Medical records
• Financial statements
• Work documents
• Password files or exports
• Backup folders
• Personal identification scans

The FTC’s data security guidance emphasizes collecting only what is needed, keeping sensitive information safe, and disposing of it securely. The same principle applies to consumers: share only what you need, when you need it, with only the people or devices that need access.

What can go wrong if file sharing stays on?

Leaving file sharing enabled can create several avoidable risks:

• Someone on the same network may browse shared folders
• A misconfigured setting may expose an entire drive
• Malware may spread through shared folders
• Private documents may be copied without notice
• Work files may become visible on personal networks
• Old shared folders may remain open for years
• Guest devices may access files they do not need

The FTC’s file sharing guide notes that users can accidentally share drives or folders containing sensitive information, and once files are downloaded by someone else, the original user cannot reliably retrieve or delete those copies.

How big is the risk?

Misconfigured sharing has caused real exposure. In a Federal Trade Commission probe reported by Dark Reading, the FTC notified almost 100 organizations that personal information from their networks was available on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, including sensitive customer or employee data. The FTC’s findings, covered in Dark Reading’s report on P2P data breaches, show how easily file sharing mistakes can expose private information.

Even though that example involved organizations, the lesson applies at home: one wrong sharing setting can expose far more than intended.

Should you create a separate folder for file sharing?

Yes. Instead of sharing your whole Documents folder, Desktop, Downloads folder, or entire drive, create one folder just for sharing.

Use a folder name like:

• Shared home files
• Family transfer folder
• Temporary file share
• Printer scan folder
• Photos to copy

Then move only the files you actually want to share into that folder.

Safer file sharing setup

Use these settings whenever possible:

• Share one dedicated folder, not your whole drive
• Require a password for access
• Turn off guest access
• Give read-only access unless editing is needed
• Remove old shared files after transfer
• Disable sharing when finished
• Avoid sharing folders with tax, banking, medical, or work data
• Use cloud sharing links with expiration dates when appropriate

How to turn off file sharing when you do not need it

You do not need to be technical. Just make file sharing a quick privacy check.

On Windows

• Open Settings
• Go to Network & internet
• Open Advanced network settings
• Select Advanced sharing settings
• Turn off File and printer sharing for public networks
• Review private network settings and turn sharing off if not needed

On macOS

• Open System Settings
• Go to General
• Select Sharing
• Turn off File Sharing
• Review any shared folders and remove what you do not need

On shared Wi-Fi

Before joining a public or guest network:

• Turn off file sharing
• Turn on your firewall
• Avoid opening shared folders
• Do not transfer sensitive files
• Use a VPN if needed
• Mark unknown networks as public, not private

File sharing should be temporary, limited, and intentional. Turn it off when you do not need it, avoid using it on public networks, and create one dedicated sharing folder instead of exposing your entire drive.

Old online accounts are easy to forget. You may still have accounts for shopping sites, old email providers, gaming platforms, job boards, social apps, travel sites, forums, cloud tools, or services you tried once and never used again. Cybercriminals love those dormant accounts because nobody is watching them.

A dormant account can still hold personal data, saved payment details, old messages, reused passwords, recovery email links, and access to connected apps. If attackers break in, they may use that account to steal information, impersonate you, or reset passwords elsewhere.

What is a dormant online account?

A dormant online account is an account you no longer use but that still exists. That could mean you have not logged in for months or years, but the account still has your username, email address, password, profile data, purchase history, or saved files.

Google’s Inactive Google Account Policy defines an inactive Google Account as one that has not been used within a two-year period, and Google says inactive personal accounts and their data may be deleted after that period. Google also explains in its inactive account policy update that accounts unused for long periods are more likely to be compromised because they often rely on old or reused passwords and receive fewer security checks from the user.

Why do hackers target old accounts?

Hackers target dormant accounts because old accounts often have weak security and low visibility. You are less likely to notice a suspicious login if you never check the account.

Cybercriminals may use dormant accounts to:

• Test stolen passwords from old data breaches
• Send scams from a trusted-looking profile
• Access saved addresses, payment details, or documents
• Reset passwords on connected accounts
• Recover access to other services
• Bypass suspicion because the account looks legitimate
• Hide activity for weeks or months

Microsoft says stale accounts pose a security risk because attackers can use compromised inactive accounts to gain unauthorized access, move laterally, or escalate privileges. While that Microsoft guidance focuses on organizational accounts, the same basic idea applies to personal accounts: unused access still creates risk.

How big is the account takeover risk?

Dormant accounts become especially risky when you reuse passwords. Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report is summarized in MojoAuth’s account takeover and credential stuffing analysis, which says credential stuffing accounted for a median 19% of all authentication attempts in single sign-on provider logs. That means a large share of login attempts on typical services may be attackers testing stolen credentials.

If an old password leaked years ago and you reused it across accounts, a criminal can try that same email-and-password combination on shopping, banking, email, cloud, and social platforms.

How does deleting dormant accounts help someone become safer online?

Cleaning up dormant accounts helps someone become safer online because it reduces the number of doors criminals can try. Every forgotten account is another place where your email, password, personal data, or payment history might sit unprotected.

This habit helps you:

• Reduce your digital footprint
• Remove accounts you no longer monitor
• Limit damage from old breach data
• Stop password reuse from spreading risk
• Cut down on scam and spam exposure
• Protect old messages, resumes, addresses, and files
• Make account recovery easier during a real emergency

Think of dormant accounts like old house keys. If you do not need them, do not leave them floating around.

How to find dormant accounts

Start with places where old accounts usually hide.

Check:

• Password manager entries
• Saved browser passwords
• Old email inboxes for “welcome,” “verify,” or “receipt”
• App store subscriptions
• Social login permissions such as “Sign in with Google”
• Banking and credit card statements
• Old resumes and job board profiles
• Cloud storage folders
• Gaming and ecommerce accounts

Google says account activity can include actions like reading email, using Drive, watching YouTube, downloading an app, or using “Sign in with Google” for a third-party service in its inactive account policy, so checking connected sign-ins can reveal accounts you forgot existed.

What should you do with old accounts?

Use this simple cleanup process:

1. Make a list of old accounts
   Start with your password manager, inbox, and saved browser logins.
2. Decide what to keep
   Keep accounts tied to taxes, banking, medical records, active purchases, subscriptions, or important files.
3. Download anything important
   Save photos, receipts, documents, or messages before deleting.
4. Delete accounts you no longer need
   Use the official account deletion page or privacy settings.
5. Change passwords on accounts you keep
   Use long, unique passwords for every account.
6. Turn on multifactor authentication
   Add MFA to email, banking, cloud, social, and shopping accounts.
7. Remove connected apps
   Revoke access for apps and websites you no longer use.
8. Set a reminder
   Review old accounts every six months.

Cybercriminals love dormant accounts because people forget them, reuse passwords on them, and rarely monitor them. Delete what you do not need, secure what you keep, and reduce your online attack surface one old login at a time.

ClickFix malware is one of the sneakiest new social engineering threats because it tricks people into infecting their own devices. Instead of asking you to download a suspicious file, a fake website, CAPTCHA, error message, or “security check” tells you to copy and paste a command into your computer.

That command may look like a quick fix. In reality, it can install malware, steal passwords, or give hackers remote access.

What is ClickFix malware?

ClickFix is not a single malware family. It is a social engineering technique that convinces users to run malicious commands on their own devices. In Microsoft’s analysis of the ClickFix social engineering technique, attackers used fake prompts that instructed victims to copy, paste, and run commands in Windows Run, Windows Terminal, or PowerShell.

A ClickFix scam may appear as:

• A fake CAPTCHA check
• A fake browser error
• A fake document verification page
• A “connection problem” alert
• A fake software update
• A fake security certificate issue
• A fake job portal or travel booking message

The scam works because the page makes the instructions feel routine and helpful.

How does a ClickFix attack work?

Most ClickFix attacks follow a simple pattern:

1. You click a link or visit a compromised page
   The page may come from phishing emails, malicious ads, fake job posts, hacked websites, or search results.
2. The page shows a fake problem
   The message may say your browser failed verification, your session expired, or your system needs a quick fix.
3. The page tells you to copy and run a command
   The command may already be copied to your clipboard.
4. You paste the command into Run, PowerShell, Terminal, or Command Prompt
   This step can download malware without you realizing it.
5. The malware steals information or gives attackers access
   Microsoft reported that ClickFix campaigns have delivered payloads such as Lumma Stealer, which can lead to information theft and data exfiltration in its ClickFix threat research.

Why is ClickFix dangerous?

ClickFix is dangerous because it abuses human problem-solving. Most people want to fix small tech issues quickly. Scammers exploit that instinct.

A ClickFix attack can lead to:

• Stolen passwords
• Stolen browser cookies
• Remote access malware
• Infostealer infections
• Account takeover
• Banking fraud
• Work account compromise
• Identity theft
• More malware downloads

In Microsoft’s report on a Booking.com impersonation campaign, attackers used ClickFix prompts to trick hospitality workers into launching commands that delivered credential-stealing malware.

How big is the ClickFix and phishing risk?

ClickFix usually starts with the same ingredients as phishing: trust, urgency, and a fake instruction. CISA’s phishing guidance notes that phishing topped the FBI’s 2024 list of the five most reported cybercrimes, with 193,407 complaints, in its advice on helping people avoid phishing scams.

That number matters because ClickFix does not need advanced hacking skills to succeed. It only needs one person to trust the wrong prompt.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Understanding ClickFix helps someone become safer online because it teaches one memorable rule:

Never paste commands from a website into your computer.

That habit protects you from fake CAPTCHA scams, malware downloads, password theft, fake browser fixes, and job-search scams. If a website asks you to open Run, PowerShell, Terminal, or Command Prompt, treat the request as suspicious until verified by a trusted expert.

How can you spot a ClickFix scam?

Look for these red flags:

• A website asks you to press Windows + R
• A page tells you to paste a command
• A CAPTCHA requires more than clicking or selecting images
• A “fix” asks you to open PowerShell or Terminal
• The prompt appears after clicking an ad or email link
• The message creates urgency
• The website impersonates a trusted brand
• The instructions feel too technical for a normal webpage

What should you do instead?

Use this quick safety checklist:

• Do not paste commands from websites
• Close the suspicious page
• Do not call numbers shown in pop-ups
• Update browsers from the official browser menu
• Use official apps and websites directly
• Run a trusted security scan
• Ask IT or a trusted expert before running commands
• Report phishing emails or malicious pages

If you already pasted a command, disconnect from the internet, run a full security scan, change passwords from a clean device, and turn on multifactor authentication.

ClickFix malware succeeds because it makes dangerous commands look like helpful troubleshooting. Slow down, question the prompt, and never run commands from a webpage unless you fully understand and trust the source.

Tech support scams used to feel obvious. A random pop-up said your computer had “1,000 viruses,” a fake technician demanded payment, and the whole thing looked suspicious. Now scammers use AI-generated scripts, realistic voices, polished emails, fake websites, and convincing chat messages to make the same old scam feel official.

The goal has not changed: scammers want your money, remote access to your device, or personal information. AI just helps them move faster and sound more believable.

What is an AI-powered tech support scam?

An AI-powered tech support scam happens when criminals use artificial intelligence to impersonate a trusted company, create convincing messages, or guide victims through fake “support” steps. These scams may pretend to come from Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, Geek Squad, your bank, your internet provider, or a cybersecurity company.

The FTC warns that tech support scams often begin with urgent pop-ups or messages claiming your computer has malware or another problem, then pressure you to pay for support you do not need for a problem that does not exist through its tech support scam guidance.

Why are AI tech support scams more convincing?

AI helps scammers remove the awkward signs people used to notice. A scammer can now generate better grammar, create realistic fake support pages, translate messages into clean English, customize scripts, and even imitate professional customer service language.

AI-powered scams may include:

• Fake security pop-ups with official-looking branding
• AI-written emails that sound polished and calm
• Chatbots pretending to be support agents
• Voice calls that sound more natural
• Fake invoices for antivirus or device protection
• Remote access requests disguised as “diagnostics”
• Payment demands through gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or payment apps

The FTC reported that many tech support scams trick people into calling by using pop-up alerts and other tactics that claim a device is infected with malware, according to the agency’s Telemarketing Sales Rule update.

How big is the tech support scam problem?

Tech support scams cause real financial harm, especially for older adults. The FTC said consumers age 60 and older reported more than $175 million in losses to tech support scams last year, and that older consumers were five times more likely than younger people to report losing money to this type of scam in its November 2024 enforcement update.

That number matters because these scams do not always look like “hacking.” Many victims willingly call the fake number, install remote access software, or pay the scammer because the warning looks urgent and legitimate.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Understanding AI-powered tech support scams helps someone become safer online because it teaches one essential habit: verify before you trust urgent support messages.

This habit protects you from:

• Fake virus warnings
• Remote access scams
• Stolen passwords
• Banking fraud
• Identity theft
• Malware downloads
• Fake refund scams
• Subscription renewal scams

The safer mindset is simple: real tech companies do not need a scary pop-up to make you call immediately, and legitimate support teams do not ask for gift cards, crypto, or remote access out of nowhere.

How can you spot a fake tech support message?

Watch for these warning signs:

• The message says your device is infected and demands immediate action
• The alert tells you not to close the window
• The pop-up includes a phone number to call
• The caller asks to remotely control your computer
• The “technician” asks for banking access
• The company demands gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or payment apps
• The message threatens account suspension or legal action
• The support website has a strange or misspelled address
• The caller asks for passwords, verification codes, or security questions

The FTC’s Top scams of 2024 report explains that people lost more money per person when they interacted with scammers by phone, with a median reported loss of $1,500.

What should you do if a tech support warning appears?

Use this simple response plan:

1. Do not call the number in the pop-up.
   Close the browser tab or restart the device if needed.
2. Do not click links inside the warning.
   Go directly to the official company website or app.
3. Do not give remote access.
   Never let an unknown caller control your device.
4. Run a trusted security scan.
   Use your installed antivirus or built-in security tools.
5. Call support using a verified number.
   Use the number on the company’s official website, your account portal, or the back of your card.
6. Report the scam.
   The FTC encourages people to report scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

What if you already gave access or paid?

Act quickly:

• Disconnect your device from the internet
• Run a full security scan
• Uninstall remote access apps you do not recognize
• Change passwords from a clean device
• Turn on multifactor authentication
• Contact your bank or credit card company
• Watch for new accounts or suspicious charges
• Report the incident to the FTC

AI makes tech support scams look cleaner, sound smarter, and move faster. You can still beat them by slowing down, refusing remote access, verifying through official channels, and never paying through unusual methods.

Trusted brands make life easier. You recognize your bank, delivery company, streaming service, phone carrier, employer, favorite retailer, or job board, so you react quickly when a message appears to come from one of them. Hackers know that, and they use familiar logos, names, colors, and urgent language to trick people into clicking fake links or sharing sensitive information.

This tactic is called brand impersonation, and it powers many phishing, smishing, fake login, and malware scams.

What is brand impersonation in cybersecurity?

Brand impersonation happens when a scammer pretends to be a real company, government agency, bank, retailer, shipping service, or tech platform. The FBI explains that spoofing can disguise an email address, sender name, phone number, or website URL, often by changing one letter, symbol, or number to make the message look like it came from a trusted source.

A fake message might say:

• “Your package could not be delivered”
• “Your account will be suspended”
• “Your payment failed”
• “You have a new secure document”
• “Your password expires today”
• “Your job application needs verification”
• “Unusual login detected”

These messages push you to act fast, and that is the point.

Why do hackers use trusted brands?

Hackers use trusted brands because familiar names lower your guard. A fake email from a random company may look suspicious. A fake alert from your bank, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, PayPal, FedEx, UPS, Netflix, or LinkedIn may feel believable.

The FTC said consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, and imposter scams were the most commonly reported scam category that year. That statistic shows why impersonation works: criminals do not need you to trust them, they need you to trust the brand they are pretending to be.

How do fake brand messages steal your information?

Most brand impersonation scams follow a simple pattern:

1. The scammer creates urgency
   The message says your account, money, delivery, job, or subscription has a problem.
2. The scammer gives you a link
   The link sends you to a fake website that looks like the real brand.
3. The scammer asks for sensitive data
   The fake page may request your username, password, credit card, verification code, Social Security number, or banking details.
4. The scammer uses or sells your information
   Criminals may access your accounts, steal money, commit identity theft, or send more scams.

CISA warns that phishing tricks people into clicking harmful links, opening fake emails, or downloading malicious attachments, which can expose sensitive information or install malware. [cisa.gov]

How does this help someone become safer online?

Learning how hackers exploit trusted brands helps someone become safer online because it builds a “verify before you trust” habit. Instead of reacting to a logo, you learn to check the sender, inspect the link, and go directly to the official website or app.

That habit protects you from:

• Stolen passwords
• Fake payment pages
• Malware downloads
• Account takeover
• Identity theft
• Job scams
• Banking fraud
• Fake delivery alerts

The safer mindset is simple: a familiar logo does not prove a message is real.

How can you spot a fake brand message?

Look for these warning signs before clicking:

• The message creates panic or urgency
• The sender address has extra letters, numbers, or misspellings
• The link does not match the brand’s official domain
• The message asks for passwords or verification codes
• The greeting feels generic
• The logo looks slightly blurry or stretched
• The message includes unexpected attachments
• The offer sounds too good to be true
• The phone number or link appears only inside the message

The FBI recommends carefully examining email addresses, URLs, and spelling because scammers use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust. [fbi.gov]

What should you do instead of clicking?

Use this quick safety checklist:

• Go directly to the official website by typing the address yourself.
• Open the company’s official app instead of using a link in a message.
• Call the company using a verified number from the official website or back of your card.
• Do not share one-time codes with anyone who contacts you.
• Turn on multifactor authentication for email, banking, shopping, and work accounts.
• Use a password manager to avoid entering passwords on fake domains.
• Report phishing emails and texts to the company being impersonated and to the proper reporting channels.
• Delete the message if you cannot verify it.

CISA advises people to verify suspicious requests through a known contact method instead of replying or using the phone number or link inside the message.

Hackers exploit trusted brands because trust creates shortcuts. Slow down before clicking, check the sender, inspect the link, and go directly to the official source. A few extra seconds can protect your passwords, money, identity, and devices.

Infostealer malware is one of today’s most dangerous digital threats because it does not need to “break” your computer to hurt you. It quietly grabs the information you already use every day, including saved passwords, browser cookies, autofill data, crypto wallet details, and login tokens.

What is infostealer malware?

Infostealer malware is malicious software designed to steal sensitive information from a phone, laptop, browser, or online account. Unlike ransomware, which loudly locks files and demands payment, infostealers usually work silently.

Cybercriminals use infostealers to collect:

• Saved browser passwords
• Session cookies that keep you logged in
• Credit card details stored in browsers
• Autofill names, addresses, and phone numbers
• Email and cloud account logins
• Cryptocurrency wallet keys
• Screenshots and system information
• Work account credentials from personal devices

That stolen data often gets packaged into “stealer logs” and sold through criminal marketplaces. Recorded Future’s 2025 Identity Threat Landscape Report found that each compromised device exposed an average of 87 stolen credentials, which shows how one infected computer can unlock many accounts at once.

Why is infostealer malware growing so fast?

Infostealers are growing because they are cheap, fast, and useful to criminals. Attackers do not always need to hack a company directly if they can steal a real user’s login first.

Infostealers commonly spread through:

• Fake browser updates
• Malicious ads
• Cracked software and pirated games
• Fake installers
• Phishing emails
• Malicious browser extensions
• “Copy and paste this command” scams
• Search results poisoned with malware links

AhnLab’s May 2025 Infostealer Trend Report described infostealers disguised as illegal programs such as cracks and keygens, often promoted through search engine poisoning. AhnLab’s December 2025 Infostealer Trend Report also noted that attackers post malware distribution links on legitimate websites, forums, Q&A pages, and comments to make the downloads appear trustworthy.

Why are stolen cookies and session tokens so dangerous?

Stealing a password is bad. Stealing a session cookie can be worse.

A session cookie can prove to a website that you already logged in. If a criminal steals that cookie, the criminal may bypass normal login steps and sometimes get around multifactor authentication. Recorded Future reported that 276 million malware-sourced credentials indexed in 2025 included active session cookies, representing 31% of malware-sourced credentials in its dataset. [recordedfuture.com]

That is why “I use MFA” should not be your only defense. MFA helps a lot, but malware on your device can still steal active login sessions, browser data, and other account details.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Understanding infostealer malware helps someone become safer online because it changes how individuals treat downloads, browser storage, and account security.

The safer mindset is simple: do not let unknown software near your saved logins.

Once you know infostealers target the data sitting inside browsers and apps, you become more careful about:

• Downloading free tools from random websites
• Saving every password in a browser
• Ignoring software updates
• Clicking fake browser update pop-ups
• Installing extensions without checking reviews
• Using the same password across accounts
• Logging into work accounts from risky personal devices

Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2025 says Microsoft blocks 4.5 million net new malware files every day, which makes smart download habits essential for everyday users.

How can you spot infostealer malware before it infects your device?

Look for these warning signs before installing anything:

• The download comes from an ad, pop-up, or unfamiliar website
• The file claims to be a browser update
• The app promises a free paid tool, game cheat, or premium software crack
• The site pressures you with “urgent” language
• The installer asks for admin permission immediately
• The browser warns that the file may be unsafe
• The download page has misspellings or strange domain names
• A tutorial tells you to paste a command into Terminal or PowerShell

If something feels rushed, free, or too convenient, pause and verify the source.

How to protect yourself from infostealer malware

Use layered protection. One setting will not stop every scam.

Step-by-step infostealer defense checklist

• Use a password manager instead of saving all passwords in your browser.
• Turn on multifactor authentication for email, banking, cloud storage, and social accounts.
• Avoid cracked software, pirated games, and cheat tools because attackers often hide malware inside them.
• Update browsers from the official browser menu, not from pop-ups.
• Install apps only from trusted sources such as official app stores or vendor websites.
• Remove browser extensions you do not use and review extension permissions.
• Use security software that can detect malware, suspicious downloads, and credential theft behavior like Total Defense Internet Security.
• Separate work and personal activity when possible, especially on shared or family devices.
• Check account activity regularly for unfamiliar logins.
• Change passwords from a clean device if you suspect infection.

What should you do if you think an infostealer infected your device?

Act fast. Infostealers move quickly.

1. Disconnect the device from the internet.
2. Run a full security scan.
3. Remove suspicious apps and browser extensions.
4. Change important passwords from a clean device.
5. Sign out of all sessions for email, banking, cloud, and social accounts.
6. Turn on MFA or reset MFA settings if needed.
7. Check financial accounts for unusual activity.
8. Restore the device from a clean backup if malware remains.

Infostealer malware is growing because stolen logins are valuable, easy to sell, and useful for bigger attacks. Protect yourself by avoiding risky downloads, using a password manager, limiting browser-stored secrets, and treating fake updates like scams.

Fake browser update scams are making the rounds again, and they look more believable than ever. You visit a familiar website, a pop-up says your browser is outdated, and the message pushes you to click “Update now.” It feels helpful, but it may be malware.

Real browser updates protect you. Fake browser updates infect you.

What is a fake browser update scam?

A fake browser update scam is a malicious pop-up, banner, or webpage that pretends to be a Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari update. Instead of installing a real browser patch, the download can install malware, spyware, remote access tools, password stealers, or ransomware loaders.

The Center for Internet Security warned in its analysis of fake browser update malware campaigns that attackers use compromised websites to generate fake browser update prompts tailored to the browser a visitor uses. That detail matters because the scam may look customized and convincing.

Why are fake browser updates dangerous?

Fake browser updates work because they abuse a good security habit. Most people have heard, “Keep your software updated.” Scammers twist that advice into a trap.

Once someone installs the fake update, malware may:

• Steal saved passwords
• Track keystrokes
• Install remote access tools
• Download more malware
• Disable security protections
• Redirect browser traffic
• Help attackers take over accounts
• Open the door to ransomware

Research reported that FakeUpdates, also known as SocGholish, remained a top global malware threat in March 2025 and used fake browser update lures on compromised websites to trick users into downloading malware.

How big is the malware problem?

Malware arrives at massive scale. Microsoft says in its Digital Defense Report 2025 that it blocks 4.5 million net new malware files every day. That statistic shows why one bad click can matter. Attackers constantly create new files, new lures, and new fake download pages to get around defenses.

How can you tell if a browser update is fake?

Fake browser updates often create urgency. They want you to click before you think.

Watch for these red flags:

• A random website says your browser is outdated
• A pop-up uses words like “critical,” “urgent,” or “required”
• The update downloads as a strange file
• The page does not come from the browser maker
• The message blocks you from closing the tab
• The site asks you to run a script or installer
• The URL looks suspicious or misspelled
• The download starts automatically
• The page asks for admin permission right away

Real browser updates usually happen inside the browser itself, not through a random pop-up on a website.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Learning to spot fake browser updates helps someone become safer online because it builds a simple habit: update from the official source, not from a pop-up.

That one habit helps protect against:

• Malware infections
• Password theft
• Account takeover
• Banking fraud
• Spyware
• Ransomware
• Fake tech support scams

It also teaches a broader cybersecurity rule: when a message creates urgency and asks you to install something, slow down and verify it first.

How should you update your browser safely?

Use the browser’s built-in update tool instead of clicking a pop-up.

Safe browser update checklist

• Chrome: Open Chrome, select the three-dot menu, choose Help, then About Google Chrome.
• Edge: Open Edge, select the three-dot menu, choose Help and feedback, then About Microsoft Edge.
• Firefox: Open Firefox, select the menu, choose Help, then About Firefox.
• Safari: Update Safari through macOS or iOS software updates.

If a webpage says your browser needs an update, close the tab and check the update status from your browser menu.

What should you do if you clicked a fake update?

If you downloaded or ran a suspicious browser update, act quickly.

1. Disconnect from the internet.
2. Do not log in to banking, email, or work accounts from that device.
3. Run a full antivirus or security scan.
4. Remove unknown browser extensions.
5. Check installed apps for anything unfamiliar.
6. Change important passwords from a clean device.
7. Turn on multifactor authentication.
8. Review bank, email, and cloud account activity.
9. Restore from a clean backup if malware remains.

CISA recommends strong defenses such as phishing-resistant multifactor authentication, tested offline backups, and application controls to reduce the impact of malicious cyber activity.

Browser updates are important, but fake update pop-ups are dangerous. Do not trust a random website that tells you to install an update. Close the page, open your browser settings, and update from the official menu.

A rootkit is one of the sneakier types of malware because it tries to hide while giving an attacker deep access to your computer. If regular malware is like a burglar breaking a window, a rootkit is like someone secretly copying your house key, hiding in the walls, and letting other criminals come in later.

The NIST rootkit glossary defines a rootkit as tools an attacker uses after gaining root-level access to conceal activity and maintain access through covert means. In plain English: a rootkit helps a hacker stay hidden while keeping control.

What does a rootkit do?

A rootkit can help an attacker control a device without showing obvious signs. Once installed, a rootkit may hide files, disguise running processes, disable security tools, open a backdoor, or help install other malware.

A rootkit may allow criminals to:

• Spy on your activity
• Steal passwords and account tokens
• Hide viruses from security scans
• Disable antivirus software
• Log keystrokes
• Give remote access to attackers
• Install ransomware, bots, or data-stealing malware

Why are rootkits dangerous?

Rootkits are dangerous because they focus on stealth. You may not see pop-ups, strange apps, or obvious warnings. Your device might look normal while an attacker quietly maintains access.

That hidden access matters because modern malware arrives at massive scale. Microsoft reports in its 2025 Digital Defense Report that it blocks 4.5 million net new malware files every day, showing how aggressively attackers push new malicious files into the world.

Rootkits are not the most common threat most consumers will face every day, but they are serious because they can make infections harder to detect and remove.

How does a rootkit get on a device?

A rootkit usually needs a way in first. Attackers often rely on the same tricks used in other malware attacks.

Common rootkit infection paths include:

• Clicking a malicious email attachment
• Downloading cracked software or pirated games
• Installing fake security tools
• Using outdated operating systems
• Plugging in unknown USB drives
• Visiting compromised websites
• Ignoring software updates
• Giving admin permission to an unsafe app

Rootkits often target vulnerabilities in an operating system or application and can also spread through infected USB drives.

How can you tell if you have a rootkit?

Rootkits try to avoid detection, so symptoms can be subtle. Still, you should investigate if your device acts strangely.

Watch for these warning signs:

• Security software turns off by itself
• System settings change without explanation
• Your device slows down dramatically
• Unknown programs request admin access
• Browser redirects happen repeatedly
• Files disappear or reappear
• Your device overheats when idle
• Antivirus scans fail or crash
• You see suspicious network activity

One warning sign does not prove a rootkit infection, but several signs together deserve attention.

How does learning about rootkits help someone become safer online?

Understanding rootkits helps someone become safer online because it reinforces one important habit: do not give unknown software deep access to your device.

Rootkits often depend on trust mistakes. Someone clicks a fake update, installs a shady download, ignores a security patch, or approves admin access without thinking. When you understand that malware can hide after gaining privileged access, you become more careful with every download, update, and permission request.

That mindset helps prevent:

• Malware infections
• Account theft
• Device takeover
• Data theft
• Ransomware attacks
• Fake tech support scams

How to protect yourself from rootkits

Use layered protection. No single tool catches everything.

Step-by-step rootkit prevention checklist

• Keep your operating system updated
  Install Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and browser updates quickly.
• Use reputable security software
  Choose trusted antivirus or endpoint protection and keep it updated.
• Avoid pirated software
  Cracked apps often carry hidden malware.
• Do not click fake update pop-ups
  Update apps from official app stores or the software maker’s website.
• Use a standard user account
  Avoid using an admin account for everyday browsing.
• Turn on multifactor authentication
  MFA protects accounts even if malware steals a password.
• Scan external drives
  Do not trust random USB drives or unknown storage devices.
• Back up important files
  Keep backups offline or in a secured cloud account.
• Review app permissions
  Remove apps that ask for more access than they need.

What should you do if you suspect a rootkit?

Act quickly and avoid logging into sensitive accounts from the infected device.

Take these steps:

1. Disconnect the device from the internet.
2. Run a full offline malware scan if available.
3. Use a trusted rescue scanner from a known security vendor.
4. Change passwords from a clean device.
5. Check bank, email, and cloud accounts for suspicious activity.
6. Restore the device from a clean backup if needed.
7. Reinstall the operating system if security tools cannot remove the infection.

A rootkit is hidden malware that helps attackers maintain backdoor access to a device. You can reduce the risk by updating software, avoiding sketchy downloads, using trusted security tools, and thinking twice before granting admin access.

Online games make it easy for kids to play, compete, customize characters, and unlock new items. Many games also make it very easy to spend real money through premium currency, battle passes, loot boxes, skins, upgrades, and limited-time offers.

Before your child starts a new game, have one simple conversation: some game money is pretend, and some game money costs real money.

That talk can prevent surprise charges, reduce pressure to buy digital items, and help your child build safer online habits.

What is in-game currency?

In-game currency is money used inside a video game. Some games give players free currency for completing challenges, leveling up, or logging in. Other games sell premium currency that costs real money.

Common examples include:

• Coins
• Gems
• V-Bucks
• Robux
• Tokens
• Credits
• Crystals
• Battle pass points

The tricky part? Games often make both types of currency look similar. A child may not immediately understand that clicking “buy” can charge a parent’s credit card, gift card balance, mobile wallet, or console account.

Why should parents talk about premium currency?

Parents should talk about premium currency because many games encourage fast decisions. A game might show a countdown timer, a rare character skin, a “limited offer,” or a bundle that looks like a deal. That design can make kids feel rushed.

The FTC’s Kids and Video Games guidance specifically recommends parents ask whether a game manipulates kids into buying in-game purchases to succeed or avoid something bad happening in the game. The FTC also says parental controls can limit the amount of time and money a child spends playing a video game. [consumer.ftc.gov]

That is exactly why the conversation matters. You are not only preventing a purchase. You are teaching your child to pause before clicking.

How does this help someone become safer online?

This tip helps someone become safer online because it builds a key cybersecurity habit: stop, think, and verify before acting.

Kids who learn to question digital purchases also learn to question:

• Pop-ups that demand quick action
• “Free reward” links
• Fake giveaways
• In-game scams
• Pressure from strangers
• Requests to move chats off-platform
• Offers that sound too good to be true

The same skill that prevents an accidental currency purchase can also help a child avoid phishing, account theft, and social engineering later.

How big is the risk?

Accidental and unwanted game purchases are not rare. The FTC announced that it was sending more than $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the game, according to the agency’s FTC gaming enforcement update.

That statistic shows why families should treat in-game spending like a real financial safety issue, not just a gaming annoyance.

What should you say to your child before they play?

Keep the conversation short, calm, and specific.

Try this:

“Some games use fake money and real-money currency. If a button says buy, unlock, upgrade, bundle, pass, gems, coins, or limited offer, stop and ask me first. We will decide together.”

Then explain:

• Free rewards do not need a payment method
• Premium currency costs real money
• A saved card can be charged quickly
• Limited-time offers can pressure players
• No game item is worth hiding a purchase
• Asking first will never get them in trouble

How to prevent accidental in-game purchases

Use both conversation and controls. Do not rely on only one.

Step-by-step parent checklist

• Remove saved payment methods from gaming accounts when possible.
• Require a password or PIN for every purchase.
• Turn on spending limits for consoles, phones, tablets, and game accounts.
• Use child profiles instead of letting kids play on adult accounts.
• Review purchase history weekly for small charges.
• Use gift cards instead of credit cards for gaming budgets.
• Disable one-click purchases anywhere you can.
• Check each new game separately because every game handles currency differently.

The ESRB says parental controls are available for every device and can help parents block games by rating, set time limits, manage in-game purchases, and restrict internet access through its tools for parents. The ESRB also explains that parental controls can help manage what kids play, when they play, who they communicate with, and whether they can spend money. [esrb.org]

Why should you repeat this conversation for every game?

You should repeat this conversation for every game because each game uses different words, icons, stores, currencies, and pressure tactics. One game may call premium money “gems,” while another calls it “credits” or “tokens.”

Make this part of your family’s new-game routine:

1. Look up the game rating.
2. Check whether the game has in-game purchases.
3. Review the store page together.
4. Explain which currency costs real money.
5. Set purchase controls before play starts.
6. Agree on a monthly gaming budget, if any.

Talking to your child about in-game currency protects your wallet and teaches digital decision-making. Set clear rules, turn on purchase controls, and remind your child that asking before clicking is part of being smart online.

Your email address acts like a digital home base. You use it to shop, apply for jobs, reset passwords, receive banking alerts, subscribe to newsletters, and sign in to apps. That makes your inbox valuable to scammers, advertisers, and cybercriminals.

A simple fix can make your digital life cleaner and safer: use multiple email addresses for different parts of your life. At minimum, keep one email for shopping and newsletters, and another for professional correspondence, job applications, and important accounts.

Why should you use more than one email address?

Using one email for everything creates clutter and risk. When every store receipt, coupon, job alert, shipping update, social media login, and recruiter message lands in the same place, important emails get buried.

It also gives scammers more room to work. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report says phishing and spoofing ranked among the top three cybercrime complaint categories in 2024, which means attackers continue to rely heavily on deceptive messages that look legitimate.

When you separate your inboxes, you make scams easier to spot. If a “bank alert” lands in your shopping-only email, that looks suspicious right away. If a fake recruiter contacts the email you never use for job applications, you know to slow down.

How does this help someone become safer online?

Multiple email addresses help you become safer online because they reduce exposure, improve focus, and limit damage.

Here is the practical security benefit:

• Less confusion: You can quickly tell whether an email belongs in that inbox.
• Less spam around important messages: Recruiter emails and password alerts do not get buried under coupons.
• Better phishing detection: Messages sent to the wrong email category stand out.
• Damage control: If one email appears in a breach or spam list, your other inboxes stay cleaner.
• Stronger privacy: You do not hand the same address to every store, app, newsletter, and job board.

The [FTC’s job scam guidance] warns that scammers post fake jobs online and try to get personal information or money from applicants, so a dedicated job-search email gives you a cleaner way to track legitimate employer communication.

What email addresses should you create?

You do not need ten inboxes. Start with two or three.

1. Professional and job-search email

Use this for resumes, recruiter outreach, interviews, networking, LinkedIn, portfolio sites, and job boards.

Best format:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Avoid funny nicknames, birth years, or personal details.

2. Shopping and newsletter email

Use this for ecommerce, coupons, loyalty programs, webinars, downloads, promotions, and one-time signups.

This inbox will attract more marketing and spam, and that is the point. You keep the noise away from your professional inbox.

3. High-security email

Use this for banking, password managers, healthcare portals, tax accounts, cloud storage, and primary account recovery. Do not post this email publicly.

The [CISA privacy guidance] explains that social engineering becomes more convincing when attackers can use personal information that is publicly available online, so keeping your most sensitive email private reduces useful clues.

How big is the risk?

Email remains one of the easiest ways for scammers to reach people. The FTC reported that Consumer Sentinel received 6.5 million consumer reports in 2024 across fraud, identity theft, and other consumer protection categories.

That number shows why inbox hygiene matters. You cannot stop every scam from arriving, but you can make your inbox easier to defend.

How to set up multiple emails safely

Follow this simple setup:

1. Create a professional email address
   Use it only for work, job hunting, recruiters, and professional accounts.
2. Create a shopping email address
   Use it for newsletters, ecommerce, coupons, and loyalty programs.
3. Protect your sensitive email
   Use a private email for banks, healthcare, taxes, and password recovery.
4. Turn on multifactor authentication
   Add MFA to every email account, especially the professional and sensitive ones.
5. Use a password manager
   Give every email account a unique, strong password.
6. Add filters and labels
   Create folders for recruiters, applications, receipts, shipping, and alerts.
7. Review forwarding rules monthly
   Attackers sometimes add hidden forwarding rules after account compromise.
8. Unsubscribe carefully
   Use built-in unsubscribe options only for brands you recognize. Mark suspicious emails as spam instead.

What should job seekers do differently?

Job seekers should treat their email like part of their personal security plan.

Use your professional email for:

• Resume submissions
• Job boards
• Recruiter outreach
• Interview scheduling
• Portfolio contact forms
• Professional networking

Avoid using your job-search email for:

• Online shopping
• Streaming trials
• Sweepstakes
• Random downloads
• Public comment sections

This keeps recruiter messages visible and makes fake job emails easier to identify.

Using multiple email addresses does not make you paranoid. It makes you organized, searchable, and safer. Start with one professional email and one shopping email today. Then protect your most sensitive accounts with a private email, strong passwords, and multifactor authentication.