Your Device Hygiene Stinks—Time for a Digital Shower

If your phone hasn’t had an update since last semester, or your laptop wheezes like it just ran a marathon, it might be time for a little… clean-up. Device hygiene isn’t about soap and shampoo—it’s about updates, security, and good digital habits. Bad hygiene doesn’t just make your tech smell funny—it makes it vulnerable to hackers.

Here’s your self-care guide for personal and work devices:

Give Your Device a Checkup

• Install updates – Operating systems, apps, and security tools all release fixes for vulnerabilities. If you’re a “remind me later” person—don’t be!

  • Check under Settings → Software Update (iOS/Android) or Windows Update / System Preferences (PC/Mac)

• Check security software – Make sure antivirus and firewalls are turned on. On university devices, look for the security shield icon (Windows) or System Preferences → Security (Mac).

• Restart regularly – Haven’t restarted in a week? That means updates might still be pending.

Brush Up Your Security

• Passwords – Ask yourself: “Do I use the same password more than once?” If yes, it’s time to move to a password manager.

• Duo MFA – Double-check Duo is turned on for your university accounts and consider adding MFA on personal email and banking apps too.

  • You can use Duo for your personal accounts too!

• Device lock – On your phone, check if Face ID/Touch ID or a PIN is required immediately when you lock the screen.

  • iOS (Apple)
  • Android

Declutter the Junk Drawer

• Unused apps – Scroll through your phone. Do you recognize every app? If not, delete the extras.

• Downloads folder – Open it up: if you don’t need that random PDF from 2021, toss it.

• Browser extensions – If you don’t remember installing it, it doesn’t need to be there.

  • Google Chrome
  • Apple Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox

Avoid the Germy Stuff

• Be smart about downloads – Before installing, ask:

  • Did this come from the official app store or the vendor’s official website?

  • Does the app have good reviews and millions of downloads, or only a handful?

  • Are the permissions reasonable (e.g., a flashlight app shouldn’t need access to your contacts)?

• Wi-Fi – Check you’re on a secure network (look for the lock symbol). On public Wi-Fi? Use a VPN.

• Phishing – Hover over links before clicking. If the URL looks off, it’s bait. Report it with the Phish Alert Button.

Don’t Skip Flossing (Back It Up!)

• Backups – Protect yourself from data loss due to theft, failure, or ransomware.

  • For Personal Devices:

    • iCloud (Apple)

    • Android 

    • Microsoft OneDrive (personal)

    • Dropbox

  • For University/Work Devices:

    • Data Integrity, Handling and Sharing (Windows)
    • Data Integrity, Handling and Sharing (Mac)

• Test restores – Try restoring a single photo or document to confirm your backup actually works.

Bottom line: Device hygiene isn’t just personal self-care—it protects your classmates, colleagues, and the entire university network. A little routine maintenance keeps your tech fresh, healthy, and ready for whatever comes next.

“An iPhone is a computer that happens to make phone calls.”

— Emily Harris JD, CISSP, CIPP/US
Chief Information Security Officer

Want to Know More?

Montclair State University| Cyber Hygiene Checklist

Montclair State University | Data Integrity, Handling and Sharing (Windows)

Montclair State University | Data Integrity, Handling and Sharing (Mac)

TechRadar | You wouldn’t skip handwashing – so why skip mobile security hygiene?

MCNC | The Importance of Cyber Hygiene for Students and Faculty

GovTech| A Cybersecurity Expert’s Tips for Student ‘Cyber Hygiene’ This Summer