5 Positive Cyber Thoughts for 2025
Breathe and Don't Worry About A Thing


Shawn Stewart
Mr. Stewart has 27 years of experience with hundreds of international, commercial, military, and government IT projects. He holds certifications with ISC2, Cisco, Microsoft, CompTIA, ITIL, Novell, and others. He has a Masters in Cybersecurity, a Bachelors in IT, a Minor in Professional Writing, and is a published author.
Namaste! Most people start the new year with resolutions to become more organized, eat right, workout, or just be a better human. Too many of these fade away in the first few weeks as reality comes a calling. But I am here to tell you there are many reasons to be positive about your digital privacy and protections in 2025.
Did you know 2024 brought global victories against hackers and scammers? International coordination has dismantled malware, phishing, and ransomware gangs in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe (Link). The US government is taking steps to limit exposure, too. Lawmakers declared proposed bans on three well documented backdoors into everyone’s life, TikTok (Link), Kaspersky (Link), and TP Link (Link).
The American Privacy Rights Act of 2024 would have given Americans the same online privacy protections as European Union (EU) citizens with their General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) (Link). We’re still working on it, but we’re closer than ever. State laws continue to strengthen and the human race is learning how to avoid scams. I can’t help you lose weight, eat better, or improve your relationship with your father, but I can help you achieve balance with the force – the security-centric digital force that is. And breathe.
Constant Learning For Positive Growth…And Digital Protection
One time tested method to avoid scams is called STAR. Used primarily in the medical field, this acronym is a key decision making task order.
Let’s say you receive a call from an energetic man telling you he is from the IRS and that you need to pay him $500 in gift cards or the IRS will foreclose on your house and put you in jail. Stay positive and employ the STAR method.
S – STOP – Probably the single most important thing most of us can do when faced with a challenging situation such as this. This can be accomplished in several ways, but simply asking the person to hold is enough. Set the phone down and take a deep breath.
T – THINK – After a clearing breath, consider what the request is and whether it could be legitimate. You paid your taxes and filed on time. Then you remember a great article you read about scammers.
No legitimate agency or business will call you on the phone demanding payment. I count debt collectors here, too, since they fall into the category of scammers. Plus, no company or agency accepts gift cards as payment. Only grandchildren and criminals do.
A – ACT – Knowing the person on the line is a scammer, you return to the call. You say, “you are not with the IRS. You are a scammer. Your mother would be very disappointed in your life choices.” You are free to hang up now because the person will only start spouting obscenities anyway.
R – REVIEW – You have freed yourself from the clutches of the scammer, be sure to block the number and label it as spam. Doing so will alert your phone provider not to allow the call to you and may prevent someone else from falling victim. Most importantly, place a gold star on the calendar for today. You have done a great deed for society.
Erase Your Private Data Online
Everyone knows of the constant data breaches flooding the public space with our private information. We also know most companies sell our private data, resulting in junk mail, online advertisements, and phone calls. But did you know you may force these data warehouses to delete your data?
The Do Not Call Registry is a great place to start, but a few searches for yourself online will expose just what is out there and where. You absolutely can tackle this yourself, though the companies make opting out tricky. Paid services claim to handle all the locations and stay on top of it. You may find it’s worth the cost. Read the 10 Privacy Tips Everyone Should Know (Link).
Stay Positive On System Updates
Many new tasks are added to schedules in January. Here’s one that only takes a few seconds and saves your nest egg from hackers. Every second Tuesday of the month, Microsoft pushes out security and other patches to their Windows-based systems. They call it Patch Tuesday.
Apple and other providers do not have regularly scheduled patch updates. Instead, they post updates as they are available. Same is true for you television, cameras, or Smart Devices. Be sure you have automatic updates enabled on all devices. Don’t necessarily trust Apple to have your back. Read Apple Privacy and Security Myths (Link).
Regardless, add to your calendar on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, a reminder to check all your devices for the latest updates. Not all devices download or install automatically. For Windows and Apple computers and your mobile phones, check weekly. You can schedule it just before your Wednesday morning Yoga.
Be Positive On The Phone
Finding peace in the new year may be as simple as reducing noise. Start by limited phone calls from unknown numbers. One the best things the Government has done for us, finally after years of prodding and begging, is they passed legislation allowing us to block unwanted calls for free.
Of course, there is much more to it but call spoofing from other countries is a thing of the past. Sure, you can still receive phone calls from national numbers asking for your opinion on political candidates or asking for charitable contributions but you can now block them. If you are still receiving spam and robocalls in 2025, learn how to stop it cold here (Link).
Stay Positive In Crisis
Don’t be caught off guard by natural disasters or grid failure. Fortune favors the prepared mind (Louis Pasteur). Don’t be overwhelmed or afraid by claims of the end times. Let’s be honest. Since man could speak he’s consistently said the same things. “I’m hungry.” “I’m tired.” “The End is Nigh.” Not to say unexpected and unprecedented things can’t happen, but one who is prepared and stays positive, will be surprised by little.
Don’t overthink this. Many have gone from average every day person to insane prepper living in a drain pipe buried underground. You cannot prepare for EVERYTHING. But you can prepare for most things. Only focus on what you can control. Obviously, you can’t prevent a solar flare from the sun or a power grid failure. But you can marginally prepare for both. When you get overwhelmed, take a breath and remember, you have a plan. Need a plan? Read more here (Link).
Breathe
The constant bombardment against our privacy and peace of mind is stressful. Don’t let it take root as unmitigated fear. You have the power to protect your own digital footprint and your privacy. Follow and share these tips and together we can elevate to a digital nirvana free from scammers and hackers.
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