Safety and Security
Protecting data, devices and yourself
Security questions reward precision about what each defence actually does. Authentication proves who you are: a strong password (long, unique, not a dictionary word) plus, ideally, two-factor authentication, which adds a second proof such as a code on your phone. Encryption scrambles data so it is unreadable without the key - used by HTTPS and by encrypted storage. A firewall filters network traffic; it does not scan files for infection. Antivirus/anti-malware software detects and removes malicious programs and needs regular updates to recognise new threats. Installing operating-system and application updates closes known holes.
Know the malware families: virus (attaches to files), worm (spreads itself across networks), trojan (disguised as something useful), ransomware (locks files and demands payment), spyware (secretly collects information, including keystrokes). Most arrive through email attachments, downloads from untrustworthy sites, or fake links.
Phishing is the big social-engineering trap: a message that imitates a bank or supplier and pushes you to click, log in or pay urgently. Clues are urgency, generic greetings, mismatched or odd sender addresses, and links whose real destination differs from the text. A padlock and HTTPS mean the connection is encrypted - not that the site is honest.
Also protect privacy: review social-media settings, think before posting (your digital footprint is permanent), use a backup kept separately from the original (the 3-2-1 habit: three copies, two media, one off-site), and log out of shared computers.
Rule of thumb: no legitimate organisation asks for your password, PIN or full card details by email - treat any such request as phishing.