Personal Cyberattack Preparedness Checklist: 14 Items
Reduce the impact of identity theft, account compromise, ransomware, and loss of essential digital services.
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๐ก๏ธ Prepare Before an Emergency
Notes: Save your city or county emergency management contact and follow current instructions.
Save your city or county emergency management contact and follow current instructions.
Notes: Agree on a meeting point or short check-in message; keep contact information private.
Agree on a meeting point or short check-in message; keep contact information private.
Notes: Confirm safe water, medicines, and a charged radio or phone are accessible.
Confirm safe water, medicines, and a charged radio or phone are accessible.
Notes: Avoid password reuse across important accounts.
Avoid password reuse across important accounts.
Notes: Secure email and financial accounts especially.
Secure email and financial accounts especially.
Notes: Apply trusted security updates promptly.
Apply trusted security updates promptly.
Notes: Test access to backups from a separate device.
Test access to backups from a separate device.
โ ๏ธ Respond Safely When Needed
Notes: Verify through known contact channels, not links in messages.
Verify through known contact channels, not links in messages.
Notes: Seek professional advice before restoring access.
Seek professional advice before restoring access.
Notes: Secure accounts through official websites or phone numbers.
Secure accounts through official websites or phone numbers.
Notes: Record notices and transaction details without circulating sensitive data.
Record notices and transaction details without circulating sensitive data.
๐ Recover, Maintain & Review
Notes: Prioritize email, recovery accounts, and finances.
Prioritize email, recovery accounts, and finances.
Notes: Report identity theft through official services.
Report identity theft through official services.
Notes: Avoid reinstalling known malicious software.
Avoid reinstalling known malicious software.
Complete Guide
How to Use This Checklist
Reduce the impact of identity theft, account compromise, ransomware, and loss of essential digital services.
Follow current alerts and instructions from local officials. Hazards, climate, geography, access requirements, and household needs can change which actions are appropriate.
Important Safety and Scope Notes
This practical checklist is an independent, English-language adaptation of the Ready.gov preparedness topic. It does not reproduce FEMA publications and is not endorsed by FEMA or any U.S. government agency.
Use this checklist to organize preparations and recovery tasks. In an active emergency, follow the latest official instructions rather than relying on a static checklist.
Related & Useful Checklists
Open a related checklist for supporting tasks and household planning.
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