Digital spring cleaning is now a frontline defense in the scam economy

Date:
Mon, 25 May 2026 14:12:45 +0000

Description:
Does your digital life need a spring clean? Chances are, it does...

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Digital spring cleaning used to be about decluttering. Today, its about reducing cybersecurity risk.

Clutter is fuel for scammers: old accounts, exposed data, and forgotten apps give them more ways in. Cleaning up your digital life is one of the simplest ways to shrink your attack surface in a threat landscape thats getting smarter, faster, and more automated. Latest Videos From You may like New
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VP of Product at Malwarebytes. Today's scam economy is now estimated at $442 billion a year. It is growing fast, highly organized, and difficult to
police. Many cybercriminal groups operate across borders, and most are never caught or prosecuted.

The crux is that attackers do not need sophisticated techniques when peoples digital lives are already fragmented across unused software accounts, forgotten business apps , and exposed data. Every one of those is an entry point. The more surface area you have, the easier you are to target.

Risk is no longer just about what you do. It also is about what you leave behind.

The good news is that reducing exposure is straightforward, and a few small actions can have a big impact. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. First steps in data cleaning Start with a simple rule: if you do not use it, remove it.

Every dormant account is an open door. Scammers actively target abandoned logins because no ones watching. If you have not logged into a service in a year, there is little reason for it to still hold your data. The same goes
for apps. Many continue collecting permissions long after they stop being useful. Deleting them is not just housekeeping. It is cutting off unnecessary access.

Next, secure your accounts with strong, long passwords and multi-factor authentication. This is where many people still fall short. Reused passwords and weak authentication are still doing most of the attackers work. What to read next How businesses can defend themselves against the rise of phishing
as a service Most ransomware attacks are opportunistic. Heres how you can
stop attackers Spotting the spyware: How modern spies are weaponizing
phishing

The best password managers fix much of that by generating unique credentials for every account. Then add multi-factor authentication, and you shut down a large share of common attacks. It is one of the simplest, highest impact
steps you can take.

Finally, shift into proactive mode and take time to check your digital footprint. Most people underestimate how much of their data is already
exposed from past breaches. Email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses, accounts, and credentials can all be reused for highly targeted scams. Understanding data exposure There are numerous tools to understand what data is exposed, so you can take steps to either secure those accounts or request removal of your information. This reduces your attack surface in a meaningful way.

Scams today arent obvious. Theyre personalized, AI-assisted, and designed to play on human psychology. Staying safe isnt about being careful anymore. Its about taking a moment before responding and leaning on tools to help you make better decisions.

Cybercriminals leverage the massive trove of data available on the dark web
to create very realistic, tailored content. They mimic real communications
and trusted brands, designed to create just enough urgency or familiarity to get a response. Taking a better approach A better approach to tackling scams is to combine awareness with verification. Pause before responding. Question unexpected requests. Use tools that can help determine if something is legitimate. AI is now being used on both sides, but it is also one of the
most effective ways to flag risk in real time.

Digital spring cleaning helps reset that balance.

It is not about perfection. It is about becoming a harder target. Cleaning up your data means fewer opportunities for attackers.

Keeping your digital life in order is not routine upkeep anymore. It is a practical form of self-defense. We've tested and ranked the best business password managers . This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives , our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/digital-spring-cleaning-is-now-a-frontline-defen se-in-the-scam-economy


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