Cyber hygiene: daily habits, not one-off fixes

Cyber hygiene is the set of everyday practices that keep your digital life secure, much like brushing your teeth prevents cavities. The key contrast is that it is not a one-off fix, such as installing antivirus once, but a continuous routine: regularly updating software, backing up files, using multi-factor authentication (MFA), and being cautious about what you share online. In an exam, if a question describes a single action taken after an incident, that is a security response, not cyber hygiene.

To spot the right answer, look for words like 'regular,' 'routine,' or 'habitual.' A trap often appears when a question lists several good practices but includes one that is a reaction to a breach, like changing a password after a hack — that is incident response, not hygiene. Another trick: cyber hygiene includes proactive steps like enabling automatic updates, not just knowing about them. If a scenario mentions 'once a month' or 'daily,' it is likely hygiene; if it says 'after' or 'because of,' it is not.

Remember it as the 'everyday shield' — if the action is something you do before trouble hits, as part of your normal day, it is cyber hygiene. A quick mental test: ask yourself, 'Would I do this even if nothing was wrong?' If yes, it is hygiene; if no, it is a reaction.