Cybersecurity 101: A Guide to Staying Safe Online — The New Oil

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2024-11-30 21:30:05

Today is Computer Security Day. While not a high profile holiday, I of course can’t miss the opportunity to bring it up because in our increasingly digital world, cybersecurity likewise becomes increasingly important. Nearly everything in our lives are now basically repurposed computers: phones, TVs, even cars, washing machines, and more. Many a privacy enthusiast has decried the growing difficulty of finding a “dumb” product that isn’t internet connected from TVs to light bulbs and even toys. For better or worse, it seems that we are moving into a world where everything is internet-connected, and we may soon have no choice but to focus on harm reduction rather than avoidance. As such it’s important we take a moment to go back to the basics and talk about the best ways to secure our computers of all kinds.

I know I just said that avoidance may not be an option for much longer, but at least for now, in many cases, it is. While dumb TVs and offline cars are harder and harder (or impossible) to find, dumb light bulbs, thermostats, and appliances remain plentiful. Even many things that are smart don’t require you to connect them to make use of their basic functions. One of my TVs, for example, will refuse to function as a smart TV if I reject the Terms of Service. Sounds like a great way to turn it into a dumb TV if I wanted to.