If we want computer security in 2016 to be anything other than a repeat of computer security in 2015 then we’ll have to do things a bit differently in the New Year.
And when I say “we” I mean “all of us”, because we can all do things a little better (and, anyway, your users are gearing up for another 366 security groundhog days).
Yup, 2016 is in our hands!
I asked our regular Naked Security writers what they’ll be doing differently in 2016, and here is what they said. (You can tell us what you’ll be doing differently in our comments section below.)
Mark Stockley
In 2016 I will stop treating my Mac’s offer to postpone software updates like the snooze button on my alarm clock.
If my laptop is open then it means I’m working and I don’t want to down tools for a software update. When I’m asked if I want to install software updates now or in one hour I choose one hour.
I tell myself that one more hour won’t hurt. I tell myself that what I’m doing is terribly important, that I’ll have finished in an hour, and I’ll do the update then.
I tell myself this every hour, over and over for days weeks.
In fact I have an update pending now…
John Zorabedian
A couple of months ago, I went out and bought an external hard drive, but it sat in the box for weeks. I know, I know – a lot of good it was doing me. Imagine how silly I would have felt if, during that time, I had lost my laptop containing all of my important images and other private data. Or it was stolen or damaged. Or I had somehow gotten ransomware on my Mac, making all my files unreadable.
Good intentions will get me nothing. In 2016, I pledge to be much more conscientious about backing up my personal files on a regular basis.
Lisa Vaas
Lisa’s first thought was to “wiggle the crap out of ATMs” to check them for any phony bits that thieves might have stuck on in an effort to skim bank cards. She changed her mind after writing up yet another facepalm-inducing tale about a preposterous Facebook hoax that hooked users with CAPITALISED promises of a share of the Zuckerbergs’ largesse.
Now her resolution is simply to “yell at people more”.
Paul Ducklin
No more New Year’s resolutions for computer security! We need to make online security into a long-term digital lifestyle choice instead of something you can put off until the day after the night before… errr, which is my New Year’s resolution, I guess.
Your End Users
If you’re wondering what your end users will be doing in 2016, our marketing folks have put together this handy instructional video that explains exactly what you’re in for.
(No video? Watch on YouTube.)
You!
Now it’s up to you, dear reader – make your computer security resolution a public pledge in our comments section below!
Image of 2016 courtesy of Shutterstock.