Checklists
These checklists are here to help you follow along with all the recommendations from our guide, with some default choices already made for you. The first checklist is for everything you should do today, and the second is to help you stay on track with longer-term habits.
Getting safer today
These are all the things you can do today to make your digital life safer.
Passwords
Your home network
- Change your router’s admin password from the default password
- Add a WPA3 or WPA2-AES password to your wi-fi network
- Change your router’s DNS servers to 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
- Turn off WPS and uPnP (Universal Plug-and-Play)
Laptops and desktops
- Add a password to your computer login
- Learn how to lock your computer
- Clean up unused user accounts
- Install pending OS updates
- Uninstall anti-malware scanners
- Set up automatic cloud backups with Backblaze or Carbonite
- Turn on disk encryption
Phones and tablets
- Add a long numeric passcode to your lock screen
- Install and use Signal for messaging
- Install pending OS and app updates
- Uninstall unused apps
- Audit remaining app permissions
- Change your device’s name to something without your name in it
- Remove old Bluetooth device pairings
- Turn off Bluetooth if you aren’t using it
Internet of Things (IoT)
- Throw out your smart speakers
- Decide which other devices you want to keep
- Review device privacy settings
- Disconnect devices from the network if possible
Browsing the internet
- Switch to Firefox
- Install the Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere extensions
- Switch your browser’s default search engine to DuckDuckGo
Your services
- Consolidate your services
- Check your privacy settings in all your services
- Check Have I Been Pwned? for your accounts
- Change passwords for any accounts that show up
Staying safe into the future
Digital security requires a little upkeep! Set a reminder in your calendar or to-do list for the things below.
Every week or so
- Make sure you’re putting passwords in your password manager
- Check your password manager for reused passwords and change them
- Make sure you’re locking your computer when you walk away from it
- Install updates for your computer, browser, tablet, and phone
Every month
- Check your backup system to make sure it’s still working
- Check your router for new firmware
- Uninstall unused apps on your tablet and phone
Every three to six months
- Remove unused wi-fi networks and Bluetooth connections from your tablet and phone
- Audit the permissions that apps on your tablet and phone have
- Check Have I Been Pwned? for your usernames and email addresses
- Do a privacy settings checkup on your online accounts
- Check your accounts for old SSO logins