Digital hygiene: routines to protect our data
Digital hygiene is like brushing your teeth: You can do without it, but it hurts at some point. With a few simple habits, consumers can protect their devices and accounts much better and avoid unnecessary data waste.
The risks of digital life are manifold and the consequences can be painful: hacked accounts, identity theft, lost data due to technical defects or malware. The good news: «The risk can be massively reduced with security routines,» explains Alina Gedde, digital expert at ERGO. Digital hygiene means creating clear structures, regularly updating your own devices to the latest security standards and disposing of data waste. This is just as important as regularly tidying up and clearing out at home. It not only protects our privacy and helps us to keep an overview, but also saves us a lot of trouble in the event of damage.
The first line of defense: secure passwords
A strong password is the be-all and end-all. But 57 percent of Germans use the same password for several accounts. That is a major risk. «If criminals crack one account, they immediately have access to many more,» warns Gedde. It is better to create a separate, secure password for each account. «It should be at least 12-16 characters long and consist of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters,» says the expert. And even if it is tedious, a new one needs to be created regularly. To keep an overview, it is advisable to work with a password manager. Even better: activate two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible. Additional confirmation via text message, authenticator app or fingerprint makes the account almost unbreakable, even if the password is compromised.
The double bottom: Back up data regularly
Defects, theft, ransomware or accidental deletion: In any case, a backup is highly recommended. According to the «3-2-1 rule», three copies of the data should be stored on two different storage media and one copy should be in a different location. This sounds complicated, but it is easy to implement: an internal and an external hard disk plus a cloud backup. «In the event of an emergency, this allows you to be productive again quickly instead of spending days stressing about recovering the data,» says the ERGO digital expert.
Inner order: clearing out the cloud, photos and emails
Who hasn't experienced this? Old photos, duplicate files, newsletters from three years ago: everything accumulates and blocks valuable storage space. A regular tidy-up day can help. The agenda always includes deleting duplicates, archiving or deleting photos and videos, structuring cloud storage with meaningful folders and removing large or old emails. At the same time, check newsletters and subscriptions: What can go? It is particularly important to delete old or unused online accounts. This not only brings order to the system, it also reduces the attack surface. «The more accounts and online presence, the more potential gateways for criminals,» warns the digital expert.
The protective shield: keeping devices and apps up to date
Regular updates for devices and apps are particularly important. They close security gaps before hackers can exploit them. Most providers offer automatic updates, so it's best to run these as quickly as possible instead of repeatedly postponing them. At the same time, it is worth taking a regular look at the app permissions. Does the flashlight app really need access to contacts and camera? Probably not.
Small habits, big ones Effect
The key lies in regular routines. It helps to schedule fixed times for digital tidying up, such as 30 minutes on the first Sunday of every month for password checks, backup checks and cloud tidying. No great technical knowledge is required for this. «If you make digital hygiene a habit, you protect yourself from many risks and keep your digital life organized,» summarizes Gedde.
