Highlighted wordsare glossary terms — tap one for a plain-language definition.
CISA's Secure Our World campaign boils personal cybersecurity down to four habits that stop the overwhelming majority of everyday attacks: recognize and report PhishingWhat it means: A deceptive email or message designed to make you click, share information, send money, or give account access.Example: An “unpaid delivery fee” text with a link to a page that looks like the post office.What to do: Don't tap links in unexpected messages — open the company's app or type its address yourself.Important: Real companies never ask for your password or a login code by message.What does this mean?, use strong passwords, turn on Multifactor authenticationWhat it means: Using more than one type of authentication evidence before an account grants access.Example: Entering your password and then approving the login through an authenticator app.What to do: Turn it on first for your email, financial, social-media, and cloud accounts.Important: Never give an unexpected login code to someone who contacts you.What does this mean?, and update your software.
Recognize and report phishing
Urgency is the tell. Attackers push you to act before you think, so the fix is to slow down and verify through a different channel.
- Pause before responding to urgent or alarming messages.
- Examine the sender, links, attachments, and unusual requests.
- Verify the request by calling or messaging the person another way.
- Report suspicious messages instead of just deleting them.
Passwords, MFA, and updates
Long, random, unique passwords in a reputable Password managerWhat it means: Software that generates, stores, and fills unique account passwords, and may also manage passkeys or other credentials.Example: The manager generating and filling a 20-character password you never have to recall.What to do: Set one up and move your email, banking, and cloud passwords into it first.Important: Protect it with one strong passphrase plus MFA, and never share that passphrase.What does this mean?; a second factor on the accounts that matter; and Automatic updatesWhat it means: A setting that allows security and software updates to install with little or no user action.Example: Your phone updating overnight while it charges.What to do: Enable it for the operating system, your browser, and your apps.Important: Check occasionally that it really ran — silent failures are common.What does this mean? everywhere.
- Make passwords long, random, and unique — never reused.
- Add MFA to email, financial, social, cloud-storage, and work accounts first.
- Prefer passkeys or security keys where offered; an Authenticator appWhat it means: An app that generates temporary login codes or supports account-approval methods.Example: A six-digit code that changes every thirty seconds.What to do: Install one, then enable its backup so a lost phone doesn't lock you out.Important: No support agent ever needs you to read a code from this app aloud.What does this mean? next; SMS still beats password-only.
- Turn on automatic updates and replace gear that no longer gets security support.
Brought to you by NorthBridge
Unfamiliar term? Open the Digital Safety Glossary