As summer fades and we move into the final stretch of the year, fall brings a shift in routines. Students are back in school, workplaces are settling into hybrid or remote rhythms, and many of us are adjusting to new schedules. Seasonal changes are a great reminder that it’s also time to review and refresh our digital habits—especially when it comes to security.

Just like personal hygiene, cyber hygiene is something that needs regular attention, not a once-a-year effort. The reality is that online threats don’t take a holiday, and small lapses in your everyday digital practices can open the door to big risks.

Heading into the final months of 2025 is the perfect time to build or strengthen habits that will carry you into 2026 with confidence. In this article, we’ll explore why cyber hygiene matters for everyone—and the practical steps you can take to protect your personal data and keep your online presence secure.

Cyber Hygiene is everyone’s responsibility

It’s tempting to assume company IT teams or tech-savvy colleagues will make sure your devices are secured, but the weakest link is often human behavior. No security software can save you from weak passwords or a click on a suspicious link. Treat cybersecurity like personal health. Just like you brush your own teeth and wash your own hands, there are some simple cybersecurity habits you can incorporate into your own daily life.

Six Cyber Hygiene Habits to Start Today

  1. Change your passwords: Use unique and strong passwords for every account. A password manager is the perfect tool to help you manage your login credentials and ensure all of your passwords are strong, unique, and secure. In fact, 9 out of 10 users who use password managers feel safe with their services, and those without password managers were nearly twice as likely to fall victim to identity theft or have their credentials stolen. 
  2. Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication: Multi-factor authentication, also known as 2FA or MFA, can greatly enhance the security of your accounts by requiring an additional step to get access to your accounts, such as a temporary code generated on your phone.
  3. Update your devices: New cybersecurity threats or weaknesses are constantly discovered and taken advantage of. Companies such as Apple and Microsoft constantly release new updates for their products to patch these vulnerabilities. Checking that your devices and applications are running the latest version is a great way to keep your data protected. 
  4. Audit your accounts and access: Clear out old accounts, disable logins you no longer use, and review permissions for apps and services. The fewer people, companies, or services that have access to your accounts or personal information, the better. Every additional person with access to your information increases your potential attack surface.
  5. Pause before you click: While most phishing emails give themselves away with improper grammar, some phishing emails can be sophisticated and even use the name and titles of people you know. Check the sender, content, and links in the email and make sure everything sounds plausible before you click on anything. If in any doubt, reach out to the sender to confirm they sent you the message.  
  6. Be aware of social engineering tactics: In today’s online, interconnected world, where we often share things on social media, it is easy to gather information about someone. It’s even possible to get a few video clips from social media, and then have AI make a video that both sounds and looks like the real person. Be vigilant and make sure the person you’re talking to is real, and not just an AI imitation—especially if the person is asking for private information.

Shift Your Mindset

Security is not “Someone else’s job.” Every user—student, teacher, employee, or parent—is responsible for their own online digital security. The small actions you take every day can prevent a big headache in the future. 

Bottom line: This fall, start a new habit and treat cyber hygiene like part of your own personal routine. Make routinely changing your passwords a habit. Protecting your information protects not only you, but your school, workplace, community, and family. You wouldn’t go weeks without washing your hands—don’t go months without securing your digital life.