The Cyber Safety Myths I Keep Having to Correct

The Myth That Antivirus Software Is Enough

I still hear this one all the time. Someone installs an antivirus program once, ticks the box in their head, and assumes they're covered. Antivirus software catches known threats, but it's one layer in a much bigger picture. Scammers don't need to get past your antivirus if they can just get you to hand over a password or click a dodgy link yourself. Treat it as one part of your setup, not the whole thing.

The Myth That You'd Never Fall For It

This is the one that worries me most, because it's usually said by people who are otherwise switched on. Nobody plans to fall for a scam. The convincing ones don't look like the obvious ones from a decade ago, they're well written, well timed, and often arrive when you're distracted or in a rush. I've written before about how I spot phishing attempts, and the honest truth is even careful people get caught out occasionally. The goal isn't never making a mistake, it's catching it quickly when you do.

The Myth That a Strong Password Is Enough on Its Own

A strong password is a good start, not a finish line. If you reuse it anywhere, or it ends up in a data breach you never hear about, that strength stops mattering. I use a password manager like NordPass so every account gets its own long, unique password without me having to remember them, and I pair that with two factor authentication wherever it's offered. That combination does more for me than any password complexity rule ever did.

The Myth That Public WiFi Is Fine for a Quick Check

Five minutes on a cafe's open network to check your bank balance feels harmless enough, and most of the time nothing happens. But you can't see who else is on that network or what they're doing with it, and that's exactly the point. I use a VPN like NordVPN any time I'm on a network I don't control, even for something as small as checking email. It's not about assuming the worst, it's about not needing to find out.

What Actually Keeps You Safe

None of this is about being paranoid or locking yourself away from the internet. It's a handful of habits that work quietly in the background: unique passwords, two factor authentication, a VPN on networks you don't control, and a healthy pause before you click something urgent. If you want a simple starting point, my Safety Toolkit has the tools I actually use and recommend. And if something feels off and you're not sure, get in touch and I'll take a look.