Digital hygiene: routines to protect our data

Digital hygiene is a bit like brushing your teeth: you can get by without it for a while, but sooner or later it will hurt. With a few simple habits, consumers can protect their devices and accounts much more effectively and avoid unnecessary digital clutter. ERGO’s digital expert Alina Gedde knows how.

Tidying up online

The risks of digital life are many and the consequences can be painful: hacked accounts, identity theft, lost data due to technical faults or malware. The good news: “With security routines you can massively reduce the risk,” explains Alina Gedde, digital expert at ERGO. So called “digital hygiene” means creating clear structures, keeping your devices regularly updated with the latest security patches and getting rid of digital junk. It’s just as important as routinely tidying and decluttering your home. It not only protects your privacy and helps you stay on top of things, it also saves a lot of hassle if something does go wrong.

The first line of defence: secure passwords

A strong password is essential. Yet 57 per cent of Germans use the same password for several accounts. That’s a major risk. “If criminals crack one account, they immediately have access to many others,” warns Gedde. It’s much better to create a separate, secure password for every account.
“It should be at least 12–16 characters long and include upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters,” says the expert. And even if it’s a bit of a chore, passwords need to be changed regularly. To keep track of them, it’s a good idea to use a password manager. Better still: activate two factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible. An additional confirmation by SMS, authenticator app or fingerprint makes the account almost impossible to break into, even if the password is compromised.

A safety net: backing up your data regularly

Hardware failure, theft, ransomware or simply deleting something by mistake: in all these cases, a back up is highly advisable. According to the “3 2 1 rule”, you should keep three copies of your data on two different types of storage, with one copy stored in a different location. That may sound complicated, but it’s straightforward in practice: one internal and one external hard drive plus a cloud back up. “If the worst happens, this allows you to get back up and running quickly instead of spending days in a panic trying to recover your data,” says the ERGO digital expert.

Inner order: decluttering cloud storage, photos and emails

Who doesn’t recognise this? Old photos, duplicate files, newsletters from three years ago – everything piles up and clogs valuable storage space. A regular digital clear out day helps. On the to do list: delete duplicates, archive or delete photos and videos, organise cloud storage with clear folder names, and remove large or old emails. At the same time, review newsletters and subscriptions: which of these can go? Particularly important is deleting old or unused online accounts. This doesn’t just tidy up your digital life, it also reduces your attack surface. “The more accounts and online profiles you have, the more potential entry points there are for criminals,” warns the digital expert.

The shield: keeping devices and apps up to date

Regular updates for devices and apps are especially important. They close security gaps before hackers can exploit them. Most providers offer automatic updates; it’s best to let these run as soon as possible rather than constantly postponing them. It’s also worth regularly checking app permissions. Does a torch app really need access to your contacts and camera? Probably not.

Small habits, big impact

The key lies in regular routines. It helps to schedule fixed times for digital clean ups – for example, 30 minutes on the first Sunday of every month for checking passwords, back ups and cloud storage. You don’t need advanced technical knowledge for this. “Anyone who makes digital hygiene a habit protects themselves from many risks and keeps their digital life manageable,” Gedde concludes.