Securing Your Digital Life: A Non-Techie’s Guide

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Password Managers and Tools
• Password Best Practices
• Multi-Factor Authentication (Not SMS)
• WiFi Security Best Practices
• Additional Resources and Extra Tips
• Conclusion

Introduction

This post is primarily geared toward those who are not IT or software development professionals. It is aimed at individuals who may not have heard of—or used—a password manager or multi-factor authentication (MFA). My goal is to educate you about security so that you don’t become a victim of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.

Let’s start with this: most people are not direct targets for hackers. If you’re not in the crosshairs, you simply need to be a bit better than average at securing your systems. That’s a surprisingly low bar, but by the end of this post, I hope to elevate you into at least the top 5% of the most prepared users.

Password Managers and Tools

Password managers store all of your passwords in a secure digital vault. This means you can generate incredibly strong, randomly generated passwords without having to memorize them. All you need to remember is your master password. Most password managers also allow you to securely share passwords with close family members or—if you’re on a work plan—with everyone in your organization without exposing the actual passwords.

Here are some well-regarded password managers that offer free plans:

• Proton Pass: This is the one I’m currently using. While it isn’t necessarily superior to other options, it comes bundled with several excellent services from Proton (including a free secure email service). One feature I really appreciate is the ability to set up a PIN on your computer to lock your vault. Even if someone gains access to your device, they won’t be able to open your vault without the PIN, and the PIN is far less annoying to enter than your full password. Security is always a tradeoff between convinence and more security. Proton Pass

• Bitwarden: I’ve heard good things about Bitwarden, though I haven’t personally used it. Bitwarden

• 1Password: If you’re willing to invest money, 1Password is arguably one of the best in terms of security. That said, all of the options listed above are secure as long as you use an excellent master password. 1Password

Password Best Practices

1. Create a Super Strong Master Password If necessary, write it down on paper and store it securely. Never share it with anyone. Many platforms also allow you to print or save a recovery seed phrase—a good backup in case you forget your password. Ideally, generate these passwords with your password manager, as it uses a secure algorithm for randomness. You might start with a password you already know, then change it to a randomly generated one once your account is set up.

2. Secure Your Primary Email Your email is your most critical account. If someone gains access to your email, they can potentially take over almost every account by resetting passwords. Financial services are next in priority. All passwords should be at least 15 characters long and include numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters. Alternatively, you can use a passphrase composed of four or more random words mixed with numbers and symbols. Although passphrases are more memorable, they need to be longer to ensure randomness. Avoid inventing passwords off the top of your head, as human-generated passwords tend to be predictable.

   Example passphrase (don’t use this): Ride8.Spoof5.Shown0.Repurpose8.Unhidden1 This is an example of a passphrase that’s strong due to its randomness and the mix of symbols and numbers.

3. Never share important passwords in plain digital text. For example, don't email or text passwords to people. These methods can be compromised—even if the sending system is end-to-end encrypted, you can never be sure what malware the recipient might have on their device. It’s always best to share passwords directly through your password manager. I understand this isn’t always practical, as not everyone uses the same password manager. In those cases, be extremely cautious about what you share. Avoid sending highly sensitive information this way. If you must share a very sensitive password with someone who doesn’t use a password manager, it’s best to write it down for them or tell them in person. If you absolutely must send it digitally in an unsecured way, have the recipient delete it immediately after receiving it.

4. Secure your password manager with MFA More on that here

Additional Advice: Whenever possible, utilize secure, temporary channels for transmitting sensitive information. Tools like secure file-sharing services or encrypted messaging apps (e.g., Signal) can provide a safer alternative to standard email or SMS. Additionally, consider using one-time passwords or password-protected files that can be destroyed after use. These practices help ensure that your sensitive information remains secure even if intercepted.

Multi-Factor Authentication (Not SMS)

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on any account that offers it, especially for your most important accounts. MFA adds an extra layer of security, so even if your password is compromised, an attacker would also need access to your secondary device or method. Do not rely on keys being texted to you if a service offers it, because your text messages can be intercepted. It may not be super common if you're not being targeted directly, but it's definetly not impossible.

Good authenticator apps for your phone:

• Best Authenticator Apps by PCMag
• A Tutorial on setting up MFA on your phone

For those seeking enhanced security, consider more advanced methods such as hardware-based MFA:

• Yubikeys This method is more secure than standard phone-based authenticators, though it may be overkill for most people. Still, it’s a great option if you’re particularly security-conscious. Check out this video for more info.

WiFi Security Best Practices

Securing your WiFi network is crucial. If an unauthorized user gains access, they could cause significant damage. A skilled hacker might install keyloggers to capture your passwords or deploy malware to control your devices. Additionally, someone using your network could perform illegal activities, making it hard to prove your innocence. Additinally even unskilled people on your network can cause damage if they have a device infected with malware. This malware can spread to all devices on your network and effectively gain control of your computers to do whatever this malware is inteneded to do, but needless to say it will be nothing good.

Here are some best practices:

• Use a Strong WiFi Password Your WiFi password should follow the strong password practices mentioned above.

• Set Up a Guest Network Most modern routers allow you to create a guest network, which isolates the traffic between your primary devices and any guest devices. This way, if an infected device connects to your guest network, your main network remains secure.

• Change Default Administration Credentials Routers often come with preset usernames and passwords. Even if ISPs now provide better defaults, it’s still a good idea to change these credentials. If someone accesses your network and the router’s admin account is easy to guess, your entire network could be compromised.

Additional Resources and Extra Tips

• Educational Videos: This video is somewhat technical but demonstrates how attackers crack passwords. It’s a great watch to understand how efficient password cracking can be. (Note: The video is a few years old, so some techniques and hardware may have improved since then.) Watch the Video

• Security and Privacy Channels: This YouTube channel offers a variety of excellent videos on security and privacy best practices. All Things Secured

Extra Credit Tips:

• Use a VPN: Especially on public WiFi, a VPN reduces your risk of various attacks and enhances your privacy by masking your true geographic location. Services like Proton VPN and NordVPN are solid choices, although there are many other reputable providers.

• Disable Bluetooth When Not in Use: Turning off Bluetooth when you don’t need it is a smart precaution. Some attacks exploit Bluetooth connections to infect devices with malware, which can then compromise sensitive information.

• Online Annonimity and Security can go somewhat hand in hand. If you use email aliases and don't give out persinal information your attack surfice will decrease. refer to this post for more on that

Conclusion

By using a reliable password manager, creating strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and securing your WiFi network, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to cyber attacks. Digital security isn’t just for IT professionals—it’s essential for everyone in today’s interconnected world.