Personal Cybersecurity Audit

20 items · Technical · Medium difficulty · 1 hour

Practical steps to secure your accounts, devices, and online privacy.

• Inventory online accounts and devices

  List emails, social logins, cloud services, and all devices you use regularly.

• Update OS, browsers, and apps on all devices

  Install available security updates and patches now.

• Enable automatic updates where available

  Turn on automatic installs for OS and apps to stay patched.

• Install and configure a reputable password manager

  Choose a vetted manager (e.g., Bitwarden, 1Password) and sign in on your devices.

• Migrate passwords into the password manager

  Import or add logins; remove passwords saved only in browsers.

• Create a strong master password and set recovery options

  Use a long passphrase and enable emergency access or recovery methods.

• Identify and change reused or weak passwords

  Use your manager's audit tool to replace duplicates and weak entries.

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on important accounts

  Prioritize email, banking, cloud, social, and admin accounts.

• Set up an authenticator app or hardware key for 2FA

  Use Authy, Google Authenticator, or a hardware security key; avoid SMS when possible.

• Store backup codes and recovery keys securely

  Keep printed or encrypted copies in a safe place for account recovery.

• Enable full-disk encryption on phones and laptops

  Turn on FileVault, BitLocker, or built-in device encryption.

• Set up encrypted backups and test restores

  Use encrypted cloud or local backups and verify you can restore files.

• Secure your home router and Wi‑Fi

  Change default admin password, enable WPA2/WPA3, and update router firmware.

• Use a VPN on public Wi‑Fi and avoid sensitive tasks there

  Connect to a trusted VPN and postpone banking or account changes on public networks.

• Review mobile app permissions and revoke unnecessary access

  Limit camera, mic, location, and contact access where not needed.

• Review social media privacy settings and remove sensitive info

  Set posts to friends-only and delete old posts that reveal personal data.

• Audit and revoke third-party app access to accounts

  Remove unused OAuth apps from Google, Facebook, and other services.

• Check for breached accounts and reset compromised credentials

  Use Have I Been Pwned and reset any exposed passwords immediately.

• Enable phishing protections and verify suspicious messages

  Turn on email spam filters, preview links, and confirm senders before clicking.

• Schedule regular security reviews and enable alerts

  Set a quarterly reminder and turn on account security alerts where available.

Printed from TickYouOff — the interactive version tracks your progress and can be shared with others.