• Backup your data . Just as organizations need to backup their data, individuals need to so as well. The same rules apply. Namely, do it regularly and keep a copy of it in another location. One simple solution for this is to set up an account with an online backup service to automate your backups. • Secure your accounts with two-factor authentication . Most e-mail and social media providers now have a two-factor authentication option. When you log in to your account from an unfamiliar computer for the first time, it sends you a text message with a code that you must enter to confirm that you are really you. This means that no one else can log in to your accounts without knowing your password and having your mobile phone with them. • Make your passwords long, strong, and unique . Your personal passwords should follow the same rules that are recommended for organizations. Your passwords should be long (at least 12 random characters) and contain at least two of the following: uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, and special characters. Passwords should not include words that could be tied to your personal information, such as the name of your pet. You also should use different passwords for different accounts, so that if someone steals your password for one account, they still are locked out of your other accounts. • Be suspicious of strange links and attachments . When you receive an e-mail, tweet, or Facebook post, be suspicious of any links or attachments included there. Do not click on the link directly if you are at all suspicious. Instead, if you want to access the website, find it yourself with your browser and navigate to it directly. The I Love You virus was distributed via email in May 2000 and contained an attachment which when opened copied itself into numerous folders on the user’s computer and modified the operating system settings. An estimated 50,000 computers were affected, all of which could have been avoided if users had followed the warning to not Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 136
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