Your Digital Security Resolutions for 2026: A VPN User’s Checklist
Why Digital Security Resolutions Matter More Than Ever
As we step into 2026, the cybersecurity landscape represents a critical inflection point where emerging technologies amplify both criminal capabilities and defensive opportunities. The digital threats we face today are fundamentally different from those of just a few years ago. AI weaponization has reached scale in 2025, and artificial intelligence will be at the center of cybersecurity innovation, with AI-driven tools processing large volumes of data and identifying patterns of malicious activity faster than human analysts ever could.
This isn’t about fear-mongering—it’s about acknowledging reality. IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025 shows the global average breach cost at $4.4 million, and that’s just the financial impact. The personal consequences of compromised privacy, stolen identity, and exposed sensitive data can last for years.
The good news? You have more control than you think. Just as you might make resolutions to improve your physical health or finances, your digital security deserves the same intentional approach. This checklist isn’t about becoming a cybersecurity expert overnight—it’s about building sustainable habits that protect you throughout the year.
Audit Your VPN Configuration and Usage
If you’re already using a VPN, congratulations—you’re ahead of many internet users. But when was the last time you actually reviewed your VPN settings? VPN configurations can become outdated or misconfigured over time, leading to security vulnerabilities.
Start by checking which protocol your VPN is using. Modern protocols like WireGuard offer better performance without sacrificing security. If your VPN is still defaulting to older protocols, it’s time for an update. Look for features like automatic kill switches, which prevent your data from being exposed if your VPN connection drops unexpectedly.
Regularly reviewing and updating configurations ensures that VPNs remain secure and compliant with industry best practices. This means checking that your encryption standards are current, your DNS settings aren’t leaking information, and your split tunneling configurations (if you use them) are properly secured.
Consider also where you’re connecting. It’s wise to restrict access to and from the VPN, and if possible, limit access to the VPN endpoint based on an IP address allowlist. While this might not be practical for all users, understanding these options helps you make informed decisions about your security posture.
Strengthen Your Authentication Game
Passwords alone are no longer sufficient protection. Configure all VPNs to use multi-factor authentication (MFA), and extend this practice to every account that offers it—especially email, banking, and social media.
Strong passwords typically consist of letters, numbers, and special characters, and you shouldn’t use obvious words or numbers like your birthdate. But here’s the reality: managing dozens of complex, unique passwords is impossible without help.
This is where password managers become essential. They generate and store complex passwords for each of your accounts, meaning a breach on one service doesn’t compromise all your others. Many password managers now integrate with authentication apps, creating a seamless security workflow.
Prepare for AI-Driven Threats
AI-powered cyber-attacks are emerging as a significant challenge, with cybercriminals using artificial intelligence to elevate the sophistication and impact of their attacks. This isn’t science fiction—it’s happening now.
AI-generated phishing campaigns have increased, with large language models crafting perfectly grammatical, highly personalized messages that traditional filters can’t catch. The emails look legitimate, the language is convincing, and the sender information appears authentic.
Your defense? Develop a healthy skepticism. Before clicking any link or downloading any attachment, pause and verify. Check the sender’s actual email address, not just the display name. Look for urgency tactics—legitimate organizations rarely demand immediate action via email. When in doubt, contact the organization through official channels you’ve independently verified.
Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence to create realistic fake videos, images, or audio, with the number of deepfakes online surging dramatically, increasing by 550% from 2019 to 2023. This means you can no longer trust that a video call is necessarily from who it appears to be. For sensitive transactions or decisions, establish verification protocols that go beyond visual or audio confirmation alone.
Review Your Privacy Settings Across All Platforms
Consumers have more awareness than ever on how their data is being collected and stored, with many turning off third-party cookies, using VPNs and enabling multifactor authentication. But awareness without action doesn’t protect you.
Set aside time to systematically review privacy settings on every platform you use. Social media networks, shopping sites, streaming services, smart home devices—each collects data about you, and their default settings are rarely privacy-focused.
Smart devices can track what you do, and if you don’t want your TV keeping track of what content you watch, you can turn off tracking within your device’s privacy settings. The same principle applies to smartphones, tablets, and computers. Disable location tracking for apps that don’t need it. Limit ad personalization. Review which apps have access to your camera, microphone, and contacts.
It’s better to use a browser in privacy mode to access sites and services, since mobile apps often collect, store, and sell your data. This doesn’t mean abandoning apps entirely, but being strategic about which ones you install and use regularly.
Implement a Data Backup Strategy
Ransomware attacks are at the forefront of emerging threats, demonstrating an alarming 81% year-over-year increase from 2023 to 2024. When ransomware strikes, having recent backups is often the difference between minor inconvenience and catastrophic loss.
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: maintain three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one copy stored offsite. This might mean using both an external hard drive and a cloud backup service. Encrypt your backups to ensure that even if they’re compromised, your data remains protected.
Test your backups regularly. A backup you can’t restore is worthless. Set a quarterly reminder to actually attempt recovering a few files from your backup system, ensuring the process works when you need it most.
Educate Yourself on Current Scam Tactics
Threat actors now deploy automated systems that scrape social media, company websites, and public databases to build detailed target profiles, identifying vulnerable employees and crafting attacks tailored to specific individuals. The more you know about current tactics, the better you can recognize them.
Phishing remains a primary method for cybercriminals, and in 2025, more sophisticated phishing campaigns use deepfake technology and social engineering tactics. Subscribe to cybersecurity newsletters, follow reputable security researchers on social media, and pay attention when your VPN provider or other security services issue warnings about emerging threats.
Organizations must invest in comprehensive security awareness training programs, and implementing multi-factor authentication and email filtering solutions can help reduce the risk. Even if your employer provides training, supplement it with your own learning. Understanding why certain practices are dangerous makes you more likely to avoid them.
Optimize Your VPN Server Selection
Not all VPN servers are created equal, and choosing the right one matters for both security and performance. VPN speed depends on four things: protocol, server distance, server load, and your base connection.
For everyday browsing, connecting to a server geographically close to you typically offers the best balance of speed and security. However, when accessing region-restricted content or when you need additional privacy layers, connecting through servers in privacy-friendly jurisdictions makes sense.
Some VPN services offer specialized servers for specific purposes—streaming, torrenting, or enhanced privacy. Understanding these options and using them appropriately maximizes your VPN’s effectiveness. Services like Le VPN provide extensive server networks across over 100 locations, giving you flexibility to choose the optimal server for your specific needs.
Incorrectly configured split tunneling can inadvertently expose sensitive traffic to the public internet or lead to data breaches. If you use split tunneling to route only certain traffic through your VPN, ensure you understand exactly which applications and services are protected and which aren’t.
Secure Your Home Network
Your VPN protects your data in transit, but what about your home network itself? Start with your router—change the default administrator password immediately if you haven’t already. Enable WPA3 encryption if your router supports it, or at minimum WPA2.
Create a separate guest network for visitors and smart home devices. This network isolation means that if a smart lightbulb gets compromised, attackers can’t use it to access your primary devices. Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup), which has known vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
Update your router’s firmware regularly. Many routers now offer automatic updates—enable this feature. Outdated router firmware is a common entry point for attackers, and manufacturers regularly patch vulnerabilities.
Practice Data Minimization
When creating new products, implement a Privacy by Design approach, and when collecting data for training, use data minimization and transparency principles. This principle applies to individuals too.
Before creating an account on a new service, ask yourself if you really need it. Before filling out an online form, consider which fields are truly required. The less personal information you share online, the less there is to be compromised in a breach.
Review your existing accounts periodically and delete those you no longer use. Old, forgotten accounts are security liabilities—they often use outdated passwords, lack modern security features, and may be vulnerable to breaches you’ll never hear about.
Data broker sites can easily get hold of your information through your online accounts, social media sites, or other publicly available information. While you can’t completely eliminate your digital footprint, you can minimize it through conscious choices about what you share and where.
Stay Updated on Emerging Regulations
Data privacy trends 2026 will reshape how organizations handle personal information, navigate cross-border compliance, and deploy emerging technologies. Understanding these changes helps you make informed decisions about which services to trust and how to protect your rights.
In August 2026, the EU’s AI Act will fully implement rules around high-risk AI systems and transparency requirements, requiring organisations to document model training data and conduct risk assessments. Even if you’re not in the EU, these regulations influence how global companies handle data.
Many regions are implementing stronger consumer privacy rights. Familiarize yourself with what rights you have—the right to access your data, the right to deletion, the right to know who your data is shared with. Exercise these rights when appropriate.
Leverage Advanced VPN Features
Modern VPN services offer features beyond basic encryption. Threat protection capabilities can block malicious websites, prevent tracking, and filter out phishing attempts before they reach you. Le VPN’s Threat Protection feature actively guards against trackers, phishing, and malware, adding an extra security layer to your browsing.
Data breach scanners check whether your email addresses have appeared in known data breaches. This early warning system lets you change passwords and secure accounts before attackers exploit the leaked information. Regular scans should be part of your security routine.
If a VPN is designed to use a custom SSL/TLS tunnel as a fallback, disable this functionality, and validate that encryption algorithms and protocols used are strong. Understanding your VPN’s technical capabilities helps you use it more effectively.
Develop Incident Response Plans
The tactical shifts point toward a 2026 landscape where reactive security fails comprehensively, and organizations that wait for alerts and respond to incidents will face catastrophic breaches. This applies to individuals too.
What would you do if your email was compromised? If your phone was stolen? If you suspected malware on your computer? Having a plan before crisis strikes makes your response faster and more effective.
Document important account recovery information in a secure location. Know how to remotely wipe your devices if they’re lost or stolen. Understand the process for reporting identity theft in your jurisdiction. Keep contact information for your bank, credit card companies, and other critical services readily accessible.
Threat hunting and continuous monitoring can identify suspicious activities before damage occurs, and implementing zero-trust architectures reduces the risk posed by compromised credentials or devices. While these concepts originated in enterprise security, the principles apply to personal security too—trust nothing by default, verify everything, and assume that breaches are possible.
Balance Convenience with Security
The most secure system is useless if it’s so cumbersome that you bypass it. Your security resolutions need to be sustainable throughout the year, not just in January.
Start with the highest-impact changes—enabling MFA, using a VPN on public networks, updating critical passwords. Build these habits first before adding more complex practices. Security is a journey, not a destination.
VPNs can only protect you from certain threats and won’t make your device completely secure, so it’s always good practice to use strong passwords, enable extra layers of security, and regularly update your apps and devices. Think of security as layers—each measure adds protection, and together they create a robust defense.
Monitor Your Digital Footprint
Perform a quick search for your name, location, school, or company using Google, and chances are you might find your profile in the search results. Set up Google Alerts for your name and other identifying information to be notified when new information appears online.
Review what information appears in search results about you. Many data broker sites allow you to request removal of your information, though this process can be time-consuming. Services exist that automate this removal process, though they typically require ongoing subscriptions.
Be mindful of what you post on social media. Information you share publicly can be aggregated and used in ways you never intended. Privacy settings help, but the most effective protection is thinking carefully before posting.
Commit to Continuous Improvement
The cybersecurity landscape is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic, requiring organizations to adopt proactive and adaptive security measures, with the key to effective cybersecurity lying in continuous vigilance, collaboration, and a commitment to innovation.
Set quarterly reminders to review your security practices. Technology evolves, threats change, and new tools emerge. What works today might need adjustment tomorrow. Treat digital security as an ongoing practice, not a one-time checklist.
Regular employee cybersecurity training remains vital, as human error is a consistent factor in many breaches, and awareness programs should highlight evolving hacker tactics. The same principle applies to personal security—ongoing education makes you a harder target.
Your digital security resolutions for 2026 don’t require perfection. They require consistency, awareness, and a willingness to adapt. Start with the practices that fit your lifestyle and risk profile, then build from there. Every step you take makes you more secure than you were yesterday, and that’s what matters most.
EXCLUSIVE DEAL
First 3 years for $2.22/mo
NO LOGS
100+ LOCATIONS
P2P ALLOWED
Easy To Use
30-Day Money Back
Friendly Support
Bitcoin Accepted
Ultra High Speeds