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Overview

Working on an organizing campaign means you’re going to have access to some mission-critical information. If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about how to keep your information safe from prying eyes, here’s a quick checklist that will run you through some of the basics. We’ve also included some overall security best practices to help keep your devices running clean and minimize your downtime due to bloated apps, malware or viruses.

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Use unique passwords.

Use a different password for each of your important logins like email, your online bank account, and Broadstripes.

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Memorize your passwords.

Don’t write logins and passwords on a Post-it note next to your monitor or under your keyboard – take the time to memorize them.

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Don’t stay logged in on a public terminal.

Always log out of Broadstripes or other apps if you’re done at a shared cubicle or coffee shop computer.

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Use a screen saver lock.

Screen saver locks, or screen locks, prevent someone from accessing your computer when you step away by requiring a password to dismiss the screen saver or wake from “sleep” mode. Setting the timeout (the length of idle time before the screen saver takes effect) to 10 minutes or less is a good rule of thumb.
  1. Choose System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Click Lock Screen in the sidebar on the left.
  3. Set the inactive period. Next to “Start Screen Saver when inactive” use the pull down menu to choose “For 10 minutes” (or a shorter period of time).
  4. Lock the screen when inactive. Next to “Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off” use the pull down menu to choose “Immediately”.

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Don’t do your union work on management’s wifi.

Management policies often reserve the right to search your browsing history if you’ve been logged on to their wifi, so only organize when you’re on a non-management connection.

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Where possible, set up two-factor authentication (2FA).

Most leading tech companies and many major banks offer 2FA. In most cases, the second step in authentication involves texting a temporary security code to the cell phone number that is already on file for your account. In the case that someone gets access to your login credentials, 2FA will keep your account safe unless that unauthorized user also has possession of your phone.

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Keep your operating system, software, and apps up to date.

New vulnerabilities and weaknesses are found every day, so frequent updates are essential to ensuring your computer or mobile device is protected. You’ll be happy to know that Broadstripes updates automatically – just log in and you’re running the latest, most secure version – so that’s one app you won’t need to think about.

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Once you’re up to date, stay up to date with automatic updates.

Enabling automatic updating helps ensure your device is up-to-date without having to work so hard.
  1. Choose System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Click General in the sidebar on the left.
  3. Click Software Update.
  4. Next to “Automatic updates” click the information icon (“i” within a circle).
  5. In the window that opens, turn on all options.
  6. Click Done.

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Turn on your firewall.

  1. Choose System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Click Network in the sidebar on the left.
  3. Click Firewall.
  4. Turn on the firewall.
  5. Click the Options button to customize the firewall configuration.

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Use full-disk encryption.

Full-disk encryption protects your computer’s data from being accessed by anyone who does not know the password or decryption key. This is especially reassuring if your computer is ever stolen – the thief will have your computer, but they won’t have access to your files.
If you have a Mac with Apple silicon or an Apple T2 Security Chip, your data is automatically encrypted, but turning on FileVault provides an extra layer of security. If you use a Mac that doesn’t have Apple silicon or the T2 chip, you need to turn on FileVault to encrypt your data.Turn on FileVault.
  1. Choose System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar on the left, then scroll down to FileVault.
  3. Click Turn On.
  4. You might be asked to enter your password.
  5. Choose how to unlock your disk and reset your login password if you forget it.
  6. Save your unlock/recovery info in a safe location. You will need your iCloud login password or a recovery key to access your data. If you forget both, your data will be lost.
  7. Click Continue.

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Disable Remote Login connections.

The ‘Remote Login’ setting on your device controls whether users can log in to your system from other locations. If you don’t know what this is or have a need to use it, you should disable ‘Remote Login’.
  1. Choose System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Click General in the sidebar on the left.
  3. Click Sharing.
  4. Turn off Remote Login and Remote Management as well as any additional sharing options you don’t want to allow.

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Audit your browser.

If you’re like most people, you probably spend a lot of your computing time on a web browser. Securing your browser just takes a few steps and will help keep you safer on the web. If your browser does not offer automatic updates, make sure you’re running the latest version of the browser to take advantage of its most recent security patches. Keep on top of the add-ons or plug-ins you’ve installed. You don’t want anything that is questionable, redundant or unused since these extra programs potentially have access to everything you do in the browser. Try to limit what you keep to just essential, trusted add-ons. To check your add-ons:
  • In Chrome, choose Extensions or More tools then Extensions from the browser menu.
  • In Firefox, from the browser menu, choose Add-ons to review your options.
  • In Safari, Choose Safari > Preferences, then Extensions.

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Periodically review app permissions.

It’s worth reviewing the permissions each app is granted every so often. Whether it is on your phone, your Facebook account, or another device, looking into these permissions can improve your system’s performance, as well as cover you from a privacy and security perspective. Most apps let you see exactly what they’ve been granted to do on your system. As you review your apps’ permissions, here are some things to consider:
  • Nothing on your system should be accessing the camera and the microphone without good reason (to enable video calls, usually).
  • The same goes for apps that access your contact lists.
  • Location is another permission to keep a close eye on.
  • While you’re reviewing app permissions, you might want to take a second to uninstall apps you’re not using anymore.