Spring is here and along with springtime comes spring cleaning. But did you know you should also do a digital spring cleaning? Digital spring cleaning is an important part of keeping your digital life secure and organized. It can help ensure that your online presence is up to date and your data is kept safe. It’s essential to keep your digital life in order to protect yourself from cybercriminals and identity theft. Below is a list of some of the most important digital spring cleaning steps you should take.

Clean up old projects and archives

• Group project data together and remove duplicate files.
• Clean out old archives that are no longer needed or in use (this can save on your data backup costs).
• Remove unneeded files from previous employees accounts and remove if there is no necessary data stored under the account.

Following password best practices

• Strong passwords are essential for keeping your accounts secure. Make sure to use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Change your passwords regularly, and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Store passwords securely in a password manager.
• Set up Multi-factor Authentication.

Making sure your data is backed up

• Backing up your data regularly is essential for keeping your important documents, photos, and files safe.
• Consider using a cloud-based storage system to store your backups.
• Make sure to keep multiple copies of your backups in different locations.
• Schedule a disaster recovery test.

Keeping your software up to date

• Software updates are critical for keeping your computer safe from cyber-attacks and viruses.
• Make sure to update your operating system and any other software on your computer regularly.
• Set your computer to automatically download and install updates when they become available.

Disposing of old electronics responsibly

• When disposing of an old electronic device, make sure to wipe the device’s hard drive clean.
• Consider taking the device to a professional for data destruction services.
• Donate or recycle your old electronics in order to reduce e-waste.

Digital spring cleaning is an important part of staying secure in the digital age. By taking the time to clean up old files, create strong passwords, back up your data, keep up with software updates, and properly dispose of old electronic devices, you can ensure that your digital life remains secure.