3 On Your Side: Digital Spring Cleaning
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With tax season drawing to a close, it's an ideal time to organize some of the digital files and documents you've been using. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan takes a look at what should be part of a digital spring cleaning.
During tax season, digital files can mount up on a computer or mobile device quickly, especially for those filing a return online. But with the April 15th tax deadline approaching, and filing season almost over, it's a good time to get things organized -- and secure. Michael Kaiser is the executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. He says, "Just like our homes get crowded with things in the winter sometimes our digital lives get crowded."
Kaiser recommends a digital spring cleaning that includes updating crucial software. Not just anti-virus protection, but all of it. The latest versions of browsers and operating systems have the most updated security protections. Kaiser says "If you haven't made that update to your system, you, in fact, will be vulnerable to the bad guys."
When looking to clear some space on a hard drive, look first for duplicate downloads of files or outdated drafts to delete first. Also consider storing some documents in a secure cloud site. And if you're not using all those apps on your phone, get rid of them. Kaiser says, "They may have security flaws in them so if you are not going to us apps any longer just get rid of them and clean them out."
By the way, it's also a good time to update passwords on online accounts. Longer passwords are usually safer, as are those that contain both upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
