Golden Tips to Keep Your Devices and Data Protected in 2025
With the beginning of the new year 2025, many of the new types of computers, smartphones, and operating systems that have recently been launched in the markets must have reached the hands of users around the world. With the use of these new devices comes the importance of data security rules and techniques, which must be adhered to and taken care of to avoid hackers and cyber attackers infiltrating and stealing our important data through it and exploiting it to serve their illegal and certainly undesirable interests. In this article, we provide a set of important tips and rules to maintain safe use of devices.
Using a strong and unique password for each device and each account or application that requires logins installed on these devices is a very important issue that should not be neglected or used as a single password for all these accounts and applications and all devices, as strong and different passwords for each account contribute to reducing the risk of exposure to brute force attacks , in which attackers resort to using algorithms that try to guess the passwords for the user's different accounts based on data extracted from devices after they have been hacked, which may expose his important data, such as bank account data and financial transactions, to theft.
To create strong passwords that are extremely secure, the password must meet certain criteria, such as a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, making it difficult for brute-force software to guess. The password must also be a suitable number of characters long, as long passwords that meet the first requirement make it difficult for brute-force software to crack and effectively repel this type of cyberattack.
Using too many long and strong passwords may not be a good habit for most users due to fears of not remembering the passwords used and thus losing access to accounts and devices. It is also definitely wrong to follow the method of writing passwords on a piece of paper and keeping it to avoid forgetting them, as the piece of paper may be lost or others may see it.
Here comes the importance of using a "password Password Manager ” program, as one password can be used that is easy for the user to remember, basically with a number of additions, variations, extra characters, and changes that are made to obtain a different long password for each account separately. The password manager remembers all passwords and saves them in a form that the user fills out in advance. Once the user writes the main password, the password manager will display a list of long passwords derived from it that the program stores, so there is no need to worry about forgetting long passwords when using the password manager program.
Many applications and websites follow the two-factor authentication login method to protect their users' accounts. The two-factor authentication method involves verifying the user's identity using two different login methods before allowing them to access their account or personal data. The first method is usually by entering the password created by the user, then entering a confirmation code that the site or application sends to the phone number or email associated with the account. If the user fails to enter either the password or the confirmation code correctly, they will not be allowed to log in to the account.
Two-factor authentication is an additional means of combating cyber attackers or hackers if they somehow manage to obtain the passwords of user accounts that may allow them to access highly sensitive data such as financial transactions or bank accounts.
Some banking applications allow the use of a two-factor authentication method that combines the use of passwords with the use of one of the biometric authentication methods, such as a fingerprint, while social networking sites such as Facebook still use the two-factor authentication model based on passwords and confirmation codes sent to the phone; however, there is a trend towards generalizing the Passkeys technology on various sites.
One of the golden rules that should never be compromised is to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments sent from untrusted sources. It is an effective way to prevent phishing attacks, which are one of the most common types of cyber attacks. Cyber attackers send text messages or emails that include links or attachments with specific phrases to entice the user to click on those links or download those attachments. Once clicked or downloaded on the device, a group omalware viruseses and spyware infiltrates the device to begin installing themselves on the device, and then the attacker can hack the user’s data.
Some of these attackers also use company names or impersonate trustworthy organizations to make it easier for their victims to click on suspicious links and download attachments containing their malware. They send emails or text messages from accounts and addresses that claim to be from Amazon, for example, or appear to be administrative messages from Facebook.
Therefore, it is important to verify any link before clicking on it and to make sure that it is sent from the company’s original email address or website. The difference between the real website address and the fake address sent for phishing purposes may be slight, such as the address containing “arnazon.com” instead of “amazon.com.” You should also verify before clicking on links and attachments sent by friends and ask them whether they actually sent it intentionally or not.
Computers, phones, smart printers, surveillance cameras, and gaming devices in the same home can all connect to each other through a single Internet network via a router. If malware infiltrates one of the devices connected to the local network, it becomes easy for an attacker to access the data of all other devices connected together to the same local network. Therefore, the first necessary step to secure all devices used is to secure the local network to which these devices are connected. The most important rules for securing the local network include the following procedures:
Change the Wi-Fi name that appears when viewing the list of Wi-Fi networks near devices.
Change the default password of the router when installing it, and replace it with a strong enough password.
Update the router's firmware updates regularly, as these updates fix errors and address security vulnerabilities in the device's operating system as soon as they are discovered.
Use the latest security protocols available on your router, as older protocols typically use weaker encryption, making it easier to hack. Security protocols aim to encrypt data sent over the network so that only the user's device and the Wi-Fi router can read the data being sent.
Disable UPnP and Remote Access if both are enabled on your router.
Install a strong antivirus and security program on the router if it does not come with a strong enough security program.
All of the above steps aim to provide a degree of security and privacy for data on devices that are linked together and connected to the Internet via a home local network, and further protection can be added to these devices by connecting to the Internet using a virtual private network.
Using a VPN is essential in cases where we have to connect to the Internet via a local wireless network or a public Wi-Fi network, such as Wi-Fi networks in cafes, hotels, public libraries, and even on the streets of some cities, where the Internet connection is not secure enough, allowing other parties to view the user's activity log data as well as access the data he sends to any party while using the public network, especially if he does not use the secure protocol " HTTPS " which encrypts data transmitted through the network's servers to ensure its protection.
In this case, the VPN provides a degree of protection for the data sent and received and the user's activity log data while using the Internet from the public Wi-Fi network because it works to encrypt that data and send it to remote servers to redirect it, which prevents the Internet service provider or other users of the same Wi-Fi network from accessing this data.
Hackers and cyber attackers are constantly developing their tricks, exploiting some security vulnerabilities that sometimes exist in applications, programs, and operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Usually, the companies that develop these programs are keen to discover security vulnerabilities and fix them as quickly as possible.
So it is important to make sure to update the applications and programs installed on the devices, as the role of these updates is not limited to providing new features to the user, but, as we mentioned, they are useful for protecting data and closing security gaps that attackers can infiltrate devices through. As for doing this on the computer, there are completely free programs that help you update all your installed programs to the latest version easily, and on smartphones, applications can be updated through the main store, whether the App Store or the Play Store.
You should also be careful to use applications and programs that provide their users with a high degree of privacy of personal data and information and to stop using programs, applications, and games that allow advertisers to access users’ personal data and information. Examples of such sites and applications that provide an acceptable degree of privacy to their users include search engines such as DuckDuckGo and Startpage , web browsers such as Firefox and Brave , a messaging application such as Signal instead of WhatsApp, or the ProtonMail email service instead of Gmail... and so on.
Some smartphone users resort to breaking the rules of the operating system by performing a process called " root " in the case of Android phones or " jailbreak " in iPhones. This process allows access to some additional features that are restricted by operating systems, especially a closed system such as iOS, as jailbreaking will allow iPhone users to install applications that are not available on the Apple Store from external sources, the ability to modify the system interface more, and so on.
Jailbreaking is a risky procedure. While the Apple Store checks all apps and software and makes sure they are safe for users before making them available for download, third-party sources used to download apps when jailbreaking do not have any standards that keep user data and personal information safe, which gives hackers and cyber attackers the opportunity to exploit these apps to hack devices. Jailbreaking also makes devices unstable when running.
It is useful to take into account all the previous rules when using computers or smartphones to maintain data security and avoid the risks of cyber attacks, but the most important rule remains to be careful not to keep important data and highly sensitive personal information on the phone or computer, as the danger does not come from attackers and hackers alone, as the device may fall into the hands of a nearby snooper who has nothing to do with algorithms or malware, and it may even fall into the hands of any bag thief, in which case being careful not to keep anything important on the phone is very useful.
Summary | Computer and smartphone users are at risk of being exposed to cyber attacks that target illegal access and exploitation of their data, using some tricks that enable them to hack users' devices, control them remotely, and install malware and spyware on them. Although attackers' tricks are constantly evolving, there are a set of rules and practices that are still largely successful in reducing exposure to the risks of cyber attacks, the most important of which are the following:
Create strong passwords for each account and each device owned by the user individually, using a password manager to avoid forgetting passwords.
Use two-factor authentication methods to log in to accounts on apps and websites that allow it.
Ensure that your local network is secure and protected from hackers by setting a strong password for your router, updating its firmware regularly, and installing strong antivirus and protection programs on your router.
Use a VPN when connecting to the Internet via public Wi-Fi.
Update applications and programs installed on devices regularly to obtain security updates.
Use applications, programs, and websites that provide their users with a high degree of privacy for their data and personal information.
Do not click on links and attachments sent from untrusted sources or sent by friends before verifying them.
Avoid keeping important personal data and information on computers or mobile phones as much as possible.
Do not root or jailbreak your Android or iPhone.