10 Best Practices for Online Safety
Use Strong, Unique Passwords for Every Account
Reusing the same password across multiple accounts is one of the single biggest mistakes you can make online. When one service suffers a data breach — and thousands do every year — cybercriminals immediately try those stolen credentials on banking sites, email providers, and shopping accounts. This technique, called credential stuffing, is automated and ruthlessly effective.A strong password is at least 16 characters long and combines uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. But remembering dozens of unique complex passwords is genuinely hard, which is exactly why a password manager like Norton Password Manager is so valuable. It generates, stores, and auto-fills secure passwords for you, so the only password you need to remember is one master password.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication Everywhere
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of verification beyond your password — usually a temporary code sent to your phone, generated by an authenticator app, or confirmed via a hardware key. Even if a hacker steals your password, they still can’t get into your account without that second factor.Enable 2FA on every account that offers it, starting with the most sensitive: your email, bank accounts, social media profiles, and cloud storage. Authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Authy are more secure than SMS codes, which can be intercepted through SIM-swapping attacks. The minor inconvenience of a second tap is absolutely worth the protection.
Keep Software and Devices Updated
Software updates often look like nuisances — a pop-up at an inconvenient time, a forced restart before a meeting. But most updates contain critical security patches that close vulnerabilities hackers are actively exploiting. Delaying updates means staying exposed to known threats.Enable automatic updates on your operating system, browsers, apps, and antivirus software. This includes your smartphone’s iOS or Android updates, which routinely patch serious security flaws. If a device is no longer receiving security updates from its manufacturer, it’s time to consider replacing it.
Use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi at coffee shops, airports, hotels, and libraries is enormously convenient — and enormously risky. These open networks are prime hunting grounds for attackers who use techniques like man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept your traffic and steal login credentials, financial data, or session cookies.A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts all the data flowing between your device and the internet, making it unreadable to eavesdroppers on the same network. Make it a non-negotiable rule: any time you connect to a network you don’t control, turn on your VPN first. Norton Secure VPN makes this a one-tap habit on any device.
Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Emails and Links
Phishing remains the most common entry point for cyberattacks, and modern phishing emails can look shockingly legitimate — complete with company logos, official-sounding language, and sender addresses that appear credible at first glance. These messages try to trick you into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware, or handing over your credentials on a fake login page.Before clicking any link in an email or text message, ask yourself: did I expect this? Is this sender really who they claim to be? Hover over links to preview the actual URL destination. When in doubt, go directly to the company’s website by typing the address yourself rather than clicking through. Be especially wary of emails creating a sense of urgency — “Your account will be suspended in 24 hours!” is a classic manipulation tactic.
Back Up Your Data Regularly
Ransomware attacks encrypt your files and demand payment for the decryption key. Hard drives fail without warning. Phones get lost or stolen. In any of these scenarios, a recent backup is the difference between a bad day and a catastrophic one. The 3-2-1 backup rule is a good standard: keep three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one stored off-site (or in the cloud).Automate your backups so they happen without requiring you to remember. Norton offers cloud backup as part of several security plans, ensuring your most important files are safe, encrypted, and accessible even if your device is compromised.
Review App Permissions on Your Phone
That free flashlight app almost certainly doesn’t need access to your contacts, microphone, and location. Yet many apps request far more permissions than their function requires — sometimes to harvest data for advertising, and sometimes for more malicious purposes. Overly permissive apps can expose your location history, personal photos, messages, and sensitive files.Take 10 minutes to audit your phone’s app permissions. On both Android and iOS, you can review which apps have access to your camera, microphone, location, contacts, and more. Revoke any permissions that don’t make sense for what the app does. When installing new apps, read the permission requests carefully before tapping “Allow.”
Monitor Your Credit and Identity
Identity thieves often operate for months or even years before their victims realize anything is wrong. By the time fraudulent accounts, loans, or tax filings surface, the damage can be extensive and the recovery process lengthy. Proactive monitoring dramatically shortens that window.Check your credit reports regularly — you’re entitled to free reports from all three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) through AnnualCreditReport.com. Consider placing a credit freeze at all three bureaus, which prevents new credit from being opened in your name without your authorization. Norton’s identity monitoring services alert you to suspicious activity so you can act fast.
Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network
Your home Wi-Fi network is the gateway to every connected device in your household — laptops, phones, smart TVs, security cameras, baby monitors, and more. A poorly secured router can let attackers piggyback on your internet connection, intercept your traffic, or gain access to devices on your network.Start by changing your router’s default login credentials (they’re often publicly documented by hackers). Use WPA3 encryption if your router supports it, or WPA2 at minimum. Create a separate guest network for visitors and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to keep them isolated from your primary devices. Disable Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which has known security vulnerabilities.
Install Reputable Security Software Like Norton
Even the most cautious users can occasionally encounter a malicious download, a compromised website, or a zero-day exploit they had no way of anticipating. Reputable security software acts as your last line of defense — catching threats that slip past your guard and neutralizing them before they cause harm.Norton 360 provides comprehensive, multi-layered protection: real-time threat detection, firewall protection, VPN, password manager, dark web monitoring, cloud backup, and identity theft protection — all in one integrated platform. It works quietly in the background, keeping you protected without getting in your way.
Building the Habit
Reading a list of best practices is easy. Making them second nature takes a little more intention — but far less effort than you might think. Start by tackling the highest-impact changes first: set up a password manager, enable two-factor authentication on your email and bank accounts, and install updated security software. Once those are in place, work through the remaining steps at a comfortable pace. The goal isn’t perfection on day one; it’s steady improvement over time. Cybersecurity habits compound just like financial ones — small, consistent actions add up to significant protection. You don’t have to be a security expert to stay safe online. You just have to be a little more thoughtful than the next target.Norton’s dark web monitoring continuously scans dark web forums, data dumps, and illicit marketplaces for your personal information — including email addresses, passwords, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and more. If your data appears in a breach, Norton alerts you immediately so you can change compromised credentials before attackers can use them.