5 Quick Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life

April 12, 2014 06.00 clock

Getty Images

Maybe it's time to keep the snow shoes and thick jackets and go through the annual list of spring cleaning, but do not forget to give your digital life easy cleaning, too.

Robert Siciliano , McAfee security expert online, shared with ABCNews.com five tips to ensure that your digital life is like for the season.

Update your passwords

Each user account has a different password, the case contains and uses numbers, Siciliano says.

To take the pain to memorize dozens of passwords, Siciliano recommends using a password manager that stores user passwords in an encrypted database.

Live Safe McAfee antivirus software comes with a built-in password manager, said.

There are also a number of password manager, which can be downloaded for free online, including LastPass and PasswordBox .

Get rid of files you no longer need to free

De-clutter your computer by deleting files, folders and e-mails that are no longer needed.

"The problem with clutter is that old files can often subject to viruses," Siciliano said. "This disorder leads to confusion and people do not safety good when they are confused."

While you're there, do not forget to empty the trash.

Organize desktop icons

A cluttered desktop icons slow computer. Siciliano recommends consolidation symbols. For example, "Muffin" and "Rover" files in a box "Animals".

Also help remove unused symbols. This will not delete the program, but to liberate only the shortcut, Siciliano said.

Check-in in your security software

Make sure you are using the latest anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-phishing software.

"The trap most people are using free programs," Siciliano said. "The issue of rights is that there are plenty of job security., You are much better to drop the money and get a complete package."

Check your social impact,

Privacy settings where you want them?

In Facebook, click on the padlock in the top right corner of the page to refine what is public, private, and that your friends can see.

"I have often looked in Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Yahoo. Four major search engines," Siciliano said. "I want to see what about my name and I do the same in social life through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn."

Siciliano said to show him what he is ignorant.

"Do you want to know how they want to manage their online reputation and security," he said.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and read on the website of another person, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org / content / faq.php # publishers only.