Essential principles for recognizing threats and protecting your online identity.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is the single most effective barrier against unauthorized access. It ensures that even if a bad actor obtains your password, they cannot log in without a second piece of information—typically a code generated by a mobile app (like Google Authenticator or Authy) or a physical hardware key. SMS-based 2FA is less secure and should be avoided in favor of app-based or hardware-based methods whenever possible.
Phishing is a social engineering attack where fraudsters impersonate legitimate companies through emails, text messages, or malicious websites. Their goal is to trick you into revealing sensitive data. Always be skeptical of urgent requests for login credentials or private keys. Before clicking any link in an email, hover over it to see the actual destination URL. If the address looks suspicious or misspelled, navigate to the service directly by typing the official address into your browser.
Your password should be unique for every service you use. A password manager is the best way to generate, store, and manage complex, unique passwords. Never reuse passwords across different platforms.
Furthermore, be aware of *recovery phrases* or *seed phrases* in financial and crypto contexts. These are the master keys to your digital assets. They should be written down and stored offline in multiple secure, physical locations—never stored digitally, shared in a screenshot, or entered into any website. No legitimate service will ever ask you to verify your full recovery phrase online.