Embedded Files
Your phone and computer are the gateway to your accounts and sensitive data–keeping your devices safe is an important way to protect your personal information and keep your digital life secure.
Your phone and computer are the gateway to your accounts and sensitive data–keeping your devices safe is an important way to protect your personal information and keep your digital life secure.
This week, focus on keeping your devices updated, locking down access with strong passwords and authentication, and being cautious about how you connect, click and download.
This week, focus on keeping your devices updated, locking down access with strong passwords and authentication, and being cautious about how you connect, click and download.
Guard the Gateway
Guard the Gateway
Your device is the gateway to all your accounts and sensitive data, so treat it like you would your home—lock it when you're not using it, keep the doors (software) updated to address vulnerabilities, and be aware of your physical and digital surroundings.
You know about using strong passwords and keeping your devices secure…
Make sure all of your devices are protected with a PIN, password, or biometric authentication like your face or fingerprint.
Use unique, strong passwords for those devices. Don’t use the same password for multiple devices.
Keep your phones, laptops and tablets physically secure and don't leave them unattended, especially in public locations.
Remember that public WiFi networks can be compromised or impersonated, and even legitimate-looking public networks can sometimes be set up by bad actors. Use a VPN if you need to connect to a public network.
Only download apps from official app stores or trusted sources.
…but staying up to date is important as well.
Enable automatic updates on all devices. Updates for your phone or computer contain important security patches that respond to current threats.
If you use standalone antivirus and anti-malware software, make sure you keep them current.
Keep your browser updated. Like phone or computer updates, browser updates not only contain cool new features, they also include enhancements to security settings.
Security Settings
It’s a good idea to pay attention to your phone, computer and browser security settings. The FTC has published a useful summary sheet of top steps for smartphone security.
Most browsers have pop-up protections built in. Check that your browser handles pop-ups the way you want it to.
If You Suspect Your Device is Compromised
Apps or programs that appear on your device without you installing them, unusual numbers of pop-up ads, persistent redirects to spammy websites whenever you try to use your browser, unexplained text messages or emails sent from your account without your knowledge. All these are red flags that your phone or computer may be compromised by malware.
If you suspect your device has been compromised:
Immediately disconnect from the internet on that device.
Using a different device, change all of your passwords, starting with the ones that protect your email, critical personal information or your financial accounts.
Report the incident to the T&I Support Center. Even if it is not your Davidson device, we can help let you know some steps to take.
Additional next steps:
Monitor your email and other accounts closely for unauthorized activity.
Consider enabling additional monitoring on your financial accounts and accounts with sensitive information.
Run antivirus and anti-malware scans on your device. CNet has an edited list of reviewed options for 2025.
Consider a full device backup and reset. Because you also lose the contents of your device this way, it’s important to always keep a backup of your computer and phone’s data so you don’t lose it permanently. For a summary of how to do this for your device, see the First Things First section of this data protection resource from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.
Check out some additional tools and resources.
Check out some additional tools and resources.
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