MILLIONS of iPhone and Android owners need to get their “digital afterlife” affairs in order.
That’s the advice from a top cybersecurity expert who is urging internet users to prepare for the future.
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We spoke to Craig Lurey, co-founder of Keeper Security, who revealed a three-step checklist that everyone should follow.
“The internet is a goldmine for hackers, whether you’re dead or alive,” cyber-expert Craig told The Sun.
“Did you know, the average person spends up to six hours a day on the internet?
“Your online accounts, passwords, interactions and digital footprint make up your digital legacy.
“It can include photos, devices, cryptocurrency, credit card points, airline miles, medical records and more.”
“Though it may seem morose to consider while you’re very much alive, it is worth planning for what happens when you pass.
“Not least to protect all the online efforts you made in your lifetime, but also so that your loved ones are protected in case these ‘ghost accounts’ become susceptible to hackers after you’re gone.”
Here’s Craig’s official advice to all iPhone, Android and computer users…
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#1 Take a digital inventory
Just like you would for your physical estate, take stock of your online presence, credentials and digital estate.
That includes goodwill such as loyalty cards, and liabilities such as recurring subscriptions.
#2 Designate a digital heir
Think about how you can make the process of transferring all of your credentials and assets seamless.
You should securely store digital versions of important documents such as wills, deeds and tax filings in a secure location such as a password manager.
#3 Come up with a plan
Creating a digital estate plan ensures you make provisions for how a digital heir should manage each asset.
For example, your plan may specify which accounts they should close, leave open or on hold, and for how long.
A digital estate plan safeguards your online identity and protects against malicious attempts by cybercriminals.
When it comes to social media accounts, there are different levels of what platforms allow you to do such as assigning a legacy contact.
For example, Twitter and Instagram have no legacy contact options, while Facebook allows a designated legacy contact that has restricted access to your account.
Google allows for up to ten people to be notified in the case of an inactive account after a designated period of time and Microsoft allows you to appoint a next of kin.
In addition, financial companies and e-commerce sites will require a host of personal documentation and proof from your digital heir that they have a legitimate right to the accounts.
Many of these options will require your digital heir to know your account details, personal documentation such as passport info, birth certificates etc.
Using a dedicated password manager where you can store all your details, credentials and even copies of personal documents in a secure vault makes this much easier.
While different apps have their procedures for your next of kin, it can be challenging to keep track of all of your online assets.
A password manager will help you manage your credentials and share them only with the appropriate people.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
