Ten Habits Every Beginner Can Build in 30 Days
- Dave M
- Jan 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Reality check: in 2024 phishing traffic leapt 202 % and credential‑stealing scams rocketed 703 % Infosecurity Magazine. Meanwhile, Business‑Email Compromise (BEC) touched 64 % of companies, draining an average US $150 k per incident Hoxhunt—and a single breach now sets organizations back US $4.88 million on average IBM - United States. If you’re new to security, the numbers sound overwhelming, but most compromises still trace back to small, fixable gaps. Start with the ten habits below; they cost little or nothing and will block the majority of everyday attacks.
1. Graduate from “password123” to a vault of unique pass‑phrases
Install a password manager and let it create 14‑character gibberish you never have to memorize.
Level‑up: enable the manager’s dark‑web monitoring so you’re alerted if any saved credential leaks.
2. Add a second lock on every important account
Authenticator‑app codes or hardware keys stop 99 % of automated takeover attempts. Ready for a leap forward? Passkeys—now enabled by 69 % of consumers on at least one account—kill phishing entirely by tying the login to your phone’s Face ID or fingerprint PRWeb.
3. Patch → Reboot → Relax
Turn on automatic updates for your OS, browser and phone. Delete apps you haven’t opened in six months; fewer doors, fewer break‑ins.
4. Practice the five‑second hover test
Pause over any link or attachment. If the domain isn’t exactly the brand you expect, bail out. Trust your gut when a message mixes urgency + emotion.
5. Treat public Wi‑Fi like a loud coffee shop conversation
If you must connect, use your phone’s personal hotspot or a well‑reviewed VPN. Never access banking or payroll portals on café Wi‑Fi.
6. Back up like a filmmaker: 3‑2‑1‑1
Three copies, two kinds of media, one off‑site, one immutable snapshot. Ransomware crooks can’t encrypt what they can’t rewrite.
7. Lock down your pocket computer
Set a SIM‑PIN so a thief can’t port your number.
Enable remote‑wipe (“Find My iPhone” / “Find My Device”).
SIM‑swap fraud already cost victims US $48 million last year The Statement—don’t let your phone be the next mule.
8. Trim your social‑media footprint
Switch LinkedIn contact info to “connections only,” strip location data from photos, and post holiday pics after you’re home.
9. Encrypt anything you’d hate to see on Reddit
Use hardware‑encrypted USB sticks or turn on BitLocker/FileVault. For sharing, pick services with true end‑to‑end encryption.
10. Write a one‑page “uh‑oh plan”
Who resets the registrar password if your domain is hijacked? Who calls the bank if payroll is diverted? Print the plan, store it offline, and rehearse it twice a year.
How Safe‑Tea Helps You Go Further
Your first roadblock | Safe‑Tea fast‑track |
“I have no idea where our weak spots are.” | Risk Snapshot – a two‑day scan that maps accounts, devices and shadow data, then ranks top five fixes. |
“Staff keep clicking scary links.” | Micro‑Training + live phishing drills – typically cuts click‑throughs by > 60 % in one quarter. |
“Compliance deadlines are piling up.” | Lite‑Compliance Kits for GDPR, PCI DSS 4.0, NIS2 – templates, policies, and audit checklists in plain English. |
Ready to kick‑start your security habits?
Book a free 20‑minute consult to map your next three moves.
Protecting your digital life doesn’t require wizard‑level skills—just steady habits and the right guidance.
