Ramp Up Your Cybersecurity With PCMag’s Online Safety Checklist

What was your first experience on the internet? When my dad built me my first computer and encouraged me to explore online, he didn’t hand me a list of security guidelines to follow. Instead, he gave me several free hours of AOL service on a CD-ROM and told me to have fun. The internet has changed since then, and existing online now requires a different, more vigilant routine to reduce your risk of falling victim to phishing or another type of scam.

To help you stay safe on the modern, more dangerous internet, I’ve created a safety checklist for your home or small business. It’s based on a checklist offered in Google’s Workspace Learning Center and a different security checklist from Purdue University’s Information Technology division.

PCMag’s checklist lets you assess your security risks and resolve any issues quickly. It also has a series of don’ts, which are warnings designed to change how you interact with media online.

Check Off Your Security Tasks

Bookmark this page so you can go through this list once a month or so. It’ll help you develop positive online safety habits. You may not need to perform every action each time, but it can be helpful to be reminded of other security tasks you might need to do in the future.

One more thing: If you don’t already have antivirus protection or a password manager, we’ve reviewed just about all of them, so check out the links for our Editors’ Choice winners.