Cyber defense checklist.

Choose one personal account and one device to review. Use official provider settings and documentation. For work-managed devices, follow your organization’s policy and consult the administrator. This sheet helps organize the review; it does not certify that an account or device is secure.

Planning prompts

1. Identify the important accounts.Start with the email, device, and service accounts you most depend on. Record official sign-in locations, not passwords.
2. Find the real security settings.Open the known website or application directly. Do not begin a review through a link in an unexpected message.
3. Review password arrangements.Use strong, unique credentials and understand your chosen storage and recovery method. Keep secrets out of a shared checklist.
4. Consider additional authentication.Check the methods the provider supports. Plan how to recover before removing or replacing an existing method.
5. Check recovery contacts.Confirm that the recovery address and telephone number are still appropriate. Follow the provider’s instructions for protected recovery materials.
6. Review routine updates.Check the operating system, browser, and important applications. Read vendor notices about support and do not alter managed equipment without permission.
7. Agree on message verification.Use a known channel to verify unexpected requests. Never share a one-time sign-in code just because a message asks for it.
8. Record one next step.Note the task and date, not the secret. Choose a manageable follow-up rather than deliberately locking yourself out or testing an unfamiliar system.

Revisit the arrangement

For a next review, choose one remaining account and read its recovery instructions. Do not try to prove a system is safe by experimenting with unauthorized access. A suspected compromise needs the provider’s incident guidance and appropriate support, not just another routine checklist.

Source and context

The related guide refers to Federal Trade Commission. This checklist organizes the subject into editorial planning prompts. It is not a reproduction of an official form or a certification that the reader has met a professional standard.