Cyber Hygiene: Definition & Best Practices

Learn how Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication combats data breaches, weak passwords, and phishing attacks.

Cyber hygiene keeps data protected and safe for good online security. Like personal hygiene, cyber hygiene involves a set of routine practices and procedures that can both maintain and secure computers and networks. There were record numbers of cyberattacks in 2020 with numbers seeming to only trend upward. In the past five years, there have been more than $13 billion in total losses recorded related to internet crime. Cyber hygiene is important for protecting individuals, businesses, and organisations from digital threats and cybercrime.

What is cyber hygiene?

Cybersecurity best practices, which are used to keep an organisation’s digital assets and networks safe, are components of cyber hygiene. Computer users must enlist cyber hygiene steps and practices for both network security and system health and maintenance. This is done to keep things updated and also to detect and prevent cyber threats and attacks.

Why is cyber hygiene important?

Cyber hygiene aims to keep systems and computers updated and maintained, helping to prevent serious issues. Outdated programs and fragmented files can be vulnerabilities, and cyber hygiene routines that address maintenance can help to decrease cybersecurity risk factors. The biggest reason to keep up with good cyber hygiene best practices is to secure computers and networks from potential threats and cyber security issues. The landscape of cybercrime is constantly evolving. By maintaining proper cyber hygiene techniques, users can minimise vulnerabilities and decrease possible threats to the network. Networks with poor cyber hygiene practices are more liable to cyberattack, as bad actors can exploit these weaknesses.

Cybersecurity hygiene best practice checklist

With personal hygiene, a person works to maintain physical health through precautionary measures. With cyber hygiene, a computer user takes steps to keep sensitive data secure and organised. Here are some best practices for cyber hygiene:

  • Keep an inventory of your network, including devices, software, and equipment. Use a comprehensive and tight patch management system that accounts for network risk.
  • Analyze and scrutinise the list of programs and equipment used for vulnerabilities.
  • Wipe and dispose of unused equipment properly.
  • Keep the number of users with administrator access low.
  • Manage and document all new installs, and keep an updated inventory of both hardware and software.
  • Be aware of partner networks connected to your network. Be sure network segmentation and compensating security controls are in place to avoid a bigger breach if the partner network is compromised.
  • Install and maintain anti-virus and anti-malware software.
  • Employ a cyber security framework, such as one from the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).
  • Use network firewalls.
  • Keep software current, and maintain hardware.
  • Use multi-factor identification.
  • Keep your hard drive clean, and back it up frequently.
  • Back up data with a secondary source.
  • Keep up with software and security patches to ensure that the most up-to-date versions are being used.
  • Ensure users are educated on creating strong passwords, securing personal devices connected to the network, and how to avoid phishing and other cyber security attacks.
  • Make certain apps and software applications the dedicated choice for specific functions. Dedicate one as primary when more than one software or application is used for the same function, for instance.
  • Keep an updated call list of people who should respond to events or threats that appear on your network, especially if your organisation is dispersed among variable time zones and geographical areas.
  • Design and implement an incident response plan that is practised or followed regularly. Conduct reviews after incidents or practices to improve future responses.
  • Secure your router and protect your wireless network by changing the default settings, making sure it is encrypted, and confirming it has a strong password.

It is also important to have a regular and scheduled maintenance program for all hardware, software, and online applications to keep everything current, prevent loss of data and information, and keep up with evolving threats as they occur. Routine maintenance can secure vulnerabilities that each of these specific components of a network can have. Outdated software and hardware is more vulnerable to cyberattack. Good cyber health and internet hygiene can keep networks, organisations, companies, and individuals safe from attack or ide