5 easy tasks that supercharge your security

Protect your PC and your online accounts with these must-do tasks.

- BRAD CHACOS

Protecting your personal data isn’t just smart these days—it’s a necessity. As the world grows more and more connected, your private info becomes more and more valuable. Whether it’s using leaked info from website breaches to hack into your other accounts or holding your personal computer ransom for money, malicious evildoers won’t hesitate to ruin your day if it puts profits in their pockets, as evidenced by the massive Kaseya ransomware attack (go.pcworld.com/ ksya) that brought over a thousand businesses to their knees.

All is not lost, however. Following some basic security principles can help protect you from most of the attacks you’ll find on the World Wild Web. Better yet, these five tasks should take only a short while to get set up. Do them now and sleep easier at night.

1. USE A PASSWORD MANAGER

On of the biggest security risks these days is password reuse. Major websites and services report massive data breaches on a shockingly regular basis. If you’re using the same email and password for multiple accounts, and any of those accounts leak, attackers can hack into your other ones using the information.