Stay Safe Online
New laptop, new uni email, new network to join, freshers week hands you a lot of new accounts at once. Here's what's actually worth doing about it, starting with six things you can finish before your next lecture.
Do these six things today
Get a password manager
One strong password per account, not one password for everything.
Turn on 2FA
Start with your email and anything involving money.
Update your stuff
Phone, laptop, browser. Don't dismiss the update prompt forever.
Slow down before you click
Unexpected link in an email or text? Go to the site yourself instead.
Lock your screen
Every time you step away from a library or campus computer.
Back up your coursework
OneDrive, Google Drive, whatever, just not only on one laptop.
Go deeper
Passwords, properly
What actually makes a password strong, which password manager to pick, and where passkeys fit in. Full write-up: passwords.md →
Two-factor authentication
What it is, which method to use, and how to not get locked out if you lose your phone. Full write-up: two-factor-auth.md →
Spotting phishing and scams
The red flags to watch for, and the scams that specifically target students (fake jobs, fake accommodation, fake IT emails). Full write-up: phishing.md →
Device and browser settings
Screen locks, disk encryption, and the browser permissions worth checking. Full write-up: device-and-browser-settings.md →
Public wifi and eduroam
What's actually risky on public wifi today, why eduroam is worth using, and whether you really need a VPN. Full write-up: public-wifi.md →
Backups and updates
A five-minute monthly habit that prevents most of the "I lost my dissertation" stories. Full write-up: backups-and-updates.md →
Think you've got quick hands?
All this is easier to take in when it's not the only thing on the page. Take a break and try cracking a vault instead, four levels, and one wrong stop sends you back to square one.