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Stay Safe in 2026 with These New Year’s Resolutions

We’re approaching the end of 2025, which makes it a natural time to think about New Year’s resolutions. For many people, the new year is a chance to reflect on habits they want to adopt or reinforce. While we fully support cutting back on social media and making other positive lifestyle changes, we’d also like to suggest a few practical resolutions that can improve your digital security and reduce the chances of unpleasant surprises online.

If you read through this list and think, “I’m already doing all of this,” then you’re in great shape. Keep up the good work.

Back Up All Your Devices Regularly

The single most important step you can take to avoid digital disasters is backing up your data regularly. Even well cared for devices can fail. A Mac’s SSD can stop working, an iPhone can take an unexpected swim, or data can be lost due to theft, fire, or flood. With a solid backup plan in place, you can recover from nearly any of these situations.

On the Mac, the easiest backup option is an external drive using Time Machine, but an off site or Internet backup is just as important. Backblaze is a solid choice, though there are many reputable online backup services. For iPhones and iPads, the simplest approach is iCloud Backup, which runs automatically each night once enabled in Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup. You can also back up iPhones and iPads to a Mac if iCloud storage space is limited. Apple Watches back up automatically to their paired iPhones, and that data is included in iPhone backups, which makes restoring straightforward. Whatever tools you use, it’s wise to periodically restore a few files as a test so you know your backups are actually working.

Always Install Security Updates

Another important step in staying secure is installing operating system and security updates soon after Apple releases them. The details behind these updates are often technical and don’t make headlines, but they matter. A typical security update fixes anywhere from 10 to 30 vulnerabilities identified by Apple or external researchers. Some updates focus on just one or two issues, especially when Apple is responding to a zero day vulnerability that’s actively being exploited.

It’s usually wise to wait a few days after an update appears before installing it, in case it causes any undesirable side effects. Although such problems are rare, when they do happen, Apple quickly pulls the update, resolves the issue, and releases a new version, typically within a few days.

For managed clients, we usually hold back new operating system updates for a day or two so we can test them first, then push them once we’re confident they’re stable and ready.

Use a Password Manager

We’ll keep recommending password managers until passkeys become truly widespread, and that transition will likely take years. In the meantime, if you’re still typing passwords by hand or copying them from a document, it’s time to start using a password manager like 1Password or Apple’s Passwords app, which has become quite good. A password manager offers several important benefits:

It generates strong, unique passwords for you. Passwords like Password1234 can be cracked almost instantly.
It stores passwords securely. Anyone walking by an unlocked Mac can easily read a file sitting on the desktop.
It fills in passwords for you, which is faster and more convenient than typing them.
It audits existing accounts and flags reused or weak passwords that may already be compromised.
It syncs passwords across all your devices, making logging in just as easy on an iPhone or iPad as on a Mac.
It can store and automatically enter two factor authentication codes, adding an extra layer of protection to important accounts.

For families, password managers also make it easy to share specific passwords, whether between partners or between parents and teens.

Using a password manager is quicker, simpler, and far more secure. If you’re looking to roll out a password manager for your team, kGinger can help you choose the right tool, get everyone set up smoothly, and make sure it fits naturally into how your team works day to day.

Beware of Phishing Email

Many security breaches, both personal and professional, start with phishing. These are fake emails designed to trick you into revealing login credentials, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. Spam filters block many phishing attempts, but some still get through, so staying alert is essential. Here are a few common warning signs:

Any email that asks you to share information, click a link, or sign a document
Messages from unfamiliar senders asking you to take unusual actions
Direct emails from large companies where you’re just one of millions of customers
Messages that appear to come from a trusted source but request sensitive information
Urgent language like “account locked,” “unauthorized charge,” or “action required”
Emails filled with spelling and grammar mistakes

If something feels off, don’t click links or reply directly. Instead, reach out to the sender using a different, trusted method to confirm the message. Legitimate companies, especially Apple, banks, and mobile carriers, will never ask for your password or two factor authentication codes by email, text, or phone call.

Never Respond to Unsolicited Calls or Texts

Phishing is no longer limited to email. Many attacks now arrive through text messages or phone calls, and some even use convincing deepfake audio or video. Because of flaws in the phone system, these calls and texts can appear to come from well known companies like Apple or Amazon. Other common scams warn of unauthorized logins or payments, advertise fake deliveries with malicious links, or send bogus two factor authentication messages designed to create panic.

Avoid clicking links in texts unless you recognize the sender and the message makes sense in context. For example, Apple may legitimately send delivery updates for a recent order. Never enter login information on a site you reach through a link. If you want to investigate further, go directly to the company’s official website by typing the address into your browser and logging in there.

For phone calls, unless you’re expecting a callback related to a support request you initiated, it’s best not to answer. Caller ID can be spoofed. Let the call go to voicemail, and if you believe it’s important, look up the company’s official phone number from a reliable source and call them directly instead of using the number provided.

Avoid Anything Associated with Sketchy Websites

We won’t dwell too long on this last point, but it’s worth saying. You’re far more likely to encounter malware on fringe websites or sites tied to questionable activities. That includes sites offering pirated software, cryptocurrency schemes, adult content, gambling, or illicit goods. While reputable sites can occasionally be compromised, those situations are far less common.

Don’t call phone numbers from pop ups or ads, don’t grant remote access to your computer, and don’t pay for services you didn’t actively seek out. If something looks suspicious, go directly to the company’s official website by typing the URL yourself, or contact us for help. And never paste commands into Terminal from a website or “verification” page. That’s a common way malware sneaks onto systems. If you’re concerned after spending time in less trustworthy corners of the web, downloading Malwarebytes and running a manual scan is a good next step.