{"id":8259,"date":"2026-01-14T07:04:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/blog\/6-security-focused-new-years-resolutions-for-2026"},"modified":"2026-01-14T07:04:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:04:31","slug":"6-security-focused-new-years-resolutions-for-2026-dnsfilter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/01\/14\/6-security-focused-new-years-resolutions-for-2026-dnsfilter\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Security-Focused New Year\u2019s Resolutions for 2026 | DNSFilter"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6-security-focused-new-years-resolutions-for-2026-dnsfilter.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>The start of a new year is the perfect time to reset habits\u2014not just personal ones, but digital habits too. Cybercriminals don\u2019t need zero-days or nation-state tooling if we keep handing them easy wins through reused passwords, oversharing, and rushed reactions.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>For 2026, here are six realistic, security-focused New Year\u2019s resolutions that actually reduce risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span>1. Use a Password Manager (and Stop Reusing Passwords)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Reused passwords remain a common cause of account compromise. One breached website turns into access to your email, bank, work tools, and cloud accounts.<\/p>\n<p>A password manager fixes this problem almost entirely:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It generates long, unique passwords for every site<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It stores them securely so you don\u2019t have to remember them<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It prevents you from accidentally reusing credentials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If one service gets breached, the damage stops there. No domino effect. In 2026, \u201cI remember all my passwords\u201d should be a red flag, not a point of pride.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Use a password manager for <em>everything<\/em>, especially email and financial accounts.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>2. Double-Check What Apps Have Access to Your Accounts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Over time, we grant apps access and forget about them. That productivity tool from 2019? The quiz app you tried once? The browser extension you no longer use?<\/p>\n<p>All of those may still have:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Access to your email<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Permissions to read files<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Rights to post or act on your behalf<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Attackers love abusing forgotten integrations because they bypass passwords entirely.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Audit app permissions quarterly. If you don\u2019t recognize it, don\u2019t need it, or don\u2019t trust it\u2014remove it.<\/h3>\n<h4><strong>\u2795 Bonus resolution for IT managers:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/blog\/100-risky-applications-mitigate-vulnerabilities-appaware\"><span>Block risky apps on the company network<\/span><\/a> with AppAware and prevent unwanted access altogether.<\/h4>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>3. Stop, Drop, and Roll Before Responding to \u201cUrgent\u201d Messages<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Phishing relies on emotion: fear, urgency, authority, or excitement.<br \/>\u201cYour account is locked.\u201d<br \/>\u201cWire this now.\u201d<br \/>\u201cAre you free for a quick favor?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before responding:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Stop<\/strong>: Pause instead of reacting<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Drop<\/strong>: Lower the emotional temperature<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Roll<\/strong>: Verify through a separate channel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Call the sender. Text them directly. Check with IT. Do <em>anything<\/em> other than immediately replying to the original message.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Never respond to urgent requests without confirming the sender via a trusted third party or method.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>4. Use a VPN to Reduce Tracking and Data Exposure<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Your IP address reveals more than you think: approximate location, browsing patterns, and network identity. ISPs, advertisers, and attackers all collect and correlate this data.<\/p>\n<p>A reputable VPN:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Masks your IP address<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Reduces cross-site tracking<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Protects traffic on public Wi-Fi<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s not a silver bullet, but it is a meaningful layer of privacy\u2014especially as tracking becomes more aggressive in 2026.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Use a VPN (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/product\/guardian\"><span>Guardian<\/span><\/a>) on public networks and for routine browsing when privacy matters.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>5. Bother Your Friends, Family, and Coworkers About Security<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019re only as secure as the people around you. A compromised family member can lead to impersonation scams. A hacked friend can send you malicious links. A coworker\u2019s mistake can expose shared systems.<\/p>\n<p>Security isn\u2019t contagious, but bad security habits are.<\/p>\n<p>Normalize conversations about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Phishing texts<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Fake delivery notices<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Romance scams<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\u201cToo good to be true\u201d offers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yes, it might feel awkward. That\u2019s better than cleaning up identity theft or malware attacks later.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Be <em>that<\/em> person. Share warnings. Ask questions. Help others build better cybersecurity habits.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>6. Lie More on the Internet (Seriously)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Oversharing fuels social engineering. Birthdays, pet names, job history, schools, locations\u2014all of it becomes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/blog\/using-dns-to-prevent-ai-driven-cyberattacks\"><span>ammunition for attackers<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t owe the internet accuracy.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Use fake answers for security questions<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Leave optional profile fields blank<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Avoid posting personal milestones publicly<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Don\u2019t reveal identifying details unless required<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Less data out there means fewer ways to exploit you.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Share less, obscure more, and treat personal identifying information as sensitive by default.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span><span>Bonus: Reduce the Risk of Human Error<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>IT managers and CISOs alike can reduce the risks of human error\u2013related breaches in their organizations by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Sharing the above list of resolutions with their teams<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Implementing DNS-based filtering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Knowledge is power. Educating your employees on the risks of their online behaviors is one key way to help prevent data breaches.<\/p>\n<p>But education isn\u2019t a fail-safe. Even the most knowledgeable in cybersecurity are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/blog\/why-every-click-needs-protection\"><span>at risk for accidentally clicking something<\/span><\/a> they shouldn\u2019t. Consider this: Professional stunt doubles still use safety nets.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Resolution:<\/strong> Deploy DNS filtering across company networks and devices to catch and block threats before they ever resolve. <a href=\"https:\/\/app.dnsfilter.com\/signup\"><span>Try DNSFilter free for 14 days<\/span><\/a> and start the year with a win under your belt.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<h2><span>Make 2026 the Year of Fewer Easy Targets<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cybersecurity requires and builds upon good habits. Each of these resolutions removes an easy win from an attacker\u2019s playbook. Combined, they dramatically lower your risk without adding much friction.<\/p>\n<p>In 2026, resolve to be boring to attackers.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnsfilter.com\/blog\/6-security-focused-new-years-resolutions-for-2026\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The start of a new year is the perfect time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3853],"tags":[3854],"class_list":["post-8259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cybersecurityit","tag-cybersecurityit"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"DNSFilter","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/dnsfilter\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybersecurityit\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cybersecurity&amp;IT<\/a>","tag_info":"Cybersecurity&amp;IT","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8259\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}